Fairy Tail: A Demon Slayer's Story
by SuperSaiyain79
Summary: What if Lucy left Jude's clutches earlier than originally planned? What if she was found by a Demon who found her worthy of inheriting his power making her stronger than even the top wizard saints, and what if Lucy claimed Erza as her mate? So many what ifs? (Lucy still has celestial magic because I want her too.)
1. Meeting Lucifer

**I didn't change much except Lucy is now a Celestial fire Demon slayer. So just a slight difference from Natsu power, Celestial fire burns hotter.**

"Papa look I made you a rice ball!" A little blonde girl says happily.

"I already told you I'm not hungry, now leave this instance you stupid little girl, I have more important things to do" a once sweet and caring man yells.

Running off before he could hit her like usual the little girl runs to her room. Deciding she could no longer take what her father is doing to her she packs a bag with whatever she can carry, "Open gate of the water bearer, Aquarius!"

"Tch brat, thought I told you to stop summoning from a glass of water" a large looking mermaid says with a tick mark on her face. Raising her urn, she prepares to wash her current master away until she notices the tears and the small pack she has on and her golden keys in her hands.

"What the hell is going on Lucy, where do you think you're going?" the mermaid asks in an unusually soft voice.

Wiping her face, the young girl answers back in a quiet voice "Papa doesn't love me, all he does is hit me and blame me for mama's death, I can't take it anymore so I'm leaving" Lucy says with a fire in her eyes.

 _Tch about time the girl realizes this guy isn't her father anymore, but where the hell is the girl gonna go._ Looking to the little girl she rolls her eyes, _"Don't worry Layla I'll make sure the brat doesn't kill herself out there"_ , Aquarius thinks.

Sighing the mermaid looks over everything the mini Layla has "Alright brat, listen up you have about twenty more minutes until your magic is gone, so if you're really gonna do this then we need to pack more, what do you have so far?"

"Uh some clothes, mamas' picture and a few jewels" Lucy says, "oh and my keys" she says happily.

"Well you won't be totally defenseless, but we need more for you to actually get somewhere. So we'll pack some more clothes and a few more essential's that I'll hold in the spirit world. You won't leave until tonight when no one is around, but by then the coast should be clear got it, Capricorn will help you out your window", pausing the mermaid looks away," be careful brat" after shimmering away to preserve what little magic the girl has for tonight.

Smiling the little girl decides to nap before her adventure, unaware of the maids and other servants who had heard of her plans to leave.

* * *

"What are we going to do Mrs. Speto" a young servant says, knowing if they let the young heiress go then no doubt heads will roll.

The older maid, smiling says, "Well, first we're going to pack a lunch for Miss Lucy before she goes, then make sure those of us who know about this don't spill, understood".

Looking to the other maids to see of any objections and seeing none the servant just nods their head showing a tiny smile. Walking off to prepare the lunch the maids only wishing good luck to the little girl on her journey.

* * *

"Are you ready Miss Lucy?" Capricorn asks.

Putting on her final shoe the little replica of his former master nods her head preparing to climb Capricorns back until she hears soft knocks on her door.

Gasping Lucy looks to the sea goat for what to do only to see a frown on his face. "Capricorn who is that? I thought no one knew about me leaving" Lucy says starting to tear up at the prospect of not being able to leave.

"As did I miss Lucy" the sea goat says confused as to who that may be at the door.

"What do I do, I can't pretend to sleep since I'm already dressed, and I have bags packed- "stopping her rant when she hears a familiar voice, and instead a smile spreading across her face as she goes to open the door before Capricorn can stop her.

"Lucy, may I come in" Miss speto ask.

"Yes, of course" Not realizing how she's dressed until the last minute.

"Hello Lucy, I'm glad I was able to catch you before you left, the maid says catching Lucy and her spirit off guard.

"What, what do you mean? Miss spetto" Lucy says still panicking.

"Oh, don't worry the maids and I won't say anything about your little journey. We overheard you talking to Aquarius about leaving and didn't want you going hungry on the road, so we made you a lunch pack." The maid says smiling, unshed tears in her eyes.

"Miss Speto, I'm gonna really miss you and the others" Lucy says hugging the maid.

Capricorn still on the side smiles at the exchange with his master and her maid with one thought, _Layla she really is just like you. I'll be sure to protect her with everything I have._

"Oh, before I forget Bero wanted me to give you this", revealing a gold key, "before you left". It was supposed to be a gift when you finished all your magic lessons, but he felt now was more appropriate"

Gasping at the gift Lucy lets her tears flow, "Thank him for me please." Looking to see who Miss Lucy had just received, Capricorn speaks for the first time the maid has gotten there, "Ahh Taurus is quite strong Miss Lucy, you'll be well protected while on the road now with four gold keys."

"Well off you go now, wouldn't want your father catching you", ticking off do's and don'ts for her journey, "be careful now okay, have fun, oh and don't get hurt" the maid finishes.

Smiling the little girl nods as her spirit lifts her up to go out her room window. Once out they disappear in the night not to be discovered missing until the next day when it is time for the little girl to meet another marriage prospect.

* * *

'Where the hell is Lucy?" Jude yells. "This entire deal is riding on her marrying that boy" the rage-filled man yells tossing a vase in the direction of two maids.

Frowning the servants turn around not wanting to be around a man who is willing to marry off an eight-year-old to a teenage boy with a lecherous look in his eye.

"Well! I've asked you a question" his yells all but ignored.

* * *

Meanwhile off deep in the forest of Fiore stands a little girl with an eye for adventure. However currently that adventure is fighting off a group of wyverns.

"Taurus to your left!"

"Yes Miss Lucy, I shall protect your adooorable body" the newly contracted spirit yells.

As the bull continues to fight Lucy stands on the sideline directing the spirit so he doesn't get hurt _. I may not be able to fight but I can support Taurus from the sidelines_ , Lucy thinks as she directs Taurus to duck as another Wyvern jumps at him.

"Luucy I'm Sorry but I have to go back you're too low on magic!" The bull yells regretfully.

Falling to the floor Lucy realizes Taurus is correct. While he was fighting her magic container was draining immensely, and now she can barely move. And while Taurus did take out most Wyverns there's still two left.

Now directly in front of her stand two frightfully tall monsters who look mad she just took out all their friends.

 _I can't believe it, barely a day out here and I'm already going to die_ , Lucy thinks crying. I just wanted to get away from Papa.

"CELESTIAL SECRET ARTS: FIRE DEMON WRAAAATH" ducking when she feels an immense heat coming from her back Lucy rolls to the side as she sees the two wyverns disappear into ash.

"Whoa who was that, no what was that?" Lucy asks.

"That was my Demon Wrath, as insinuated in the name child" a deep voice says in front of Lucy.

Opening her eyes Lucy sees something she's only ever seen in stories, "whoa You're a-

"Demon yes, and you're quite strong for a munchkin" the flamed being says scrutinizing the little girl in front of him.

"Really you think so, I mean I almost got killed right now." Lucy says ashamed.

Rolling his eyes, the fire demon plops on his stomach getting to the girls' height, "yes but that was after holding open that golden keys' gate for about twenty minutes and taking down about fifteen of those weird monkey monsters". Looking up and down at the little girl he asks "What is your name? Blonde one".

Mouth agape Lucy slowly smiles, never complimented by anyone outside her house when seeing her magic.

"My names Lucy Heartfilia and Thank you, mama taught me her celestial magic when I was little, so I would be able to inherit her keys", lifting up her key ring to show her four gold keys and two silver, "What's your name?"

"I am Lucifer the Celestial fire Demon" the mythical creature answers.

"OOOH, are there any others like you?" For a demon he sure is nice, in all the stories I've read they're portrayed as evil but this one seems nice, Mama was right never judge a book by a cover

"No, I am the only of my kind, but there are type of slayers. However, I would say I am the strongest of all slayers".

"Hmm that's pretty cool. I've never heard of Demon slaying magic before! Hey, can I call you Luce? Lucifer is kind of intimidating" The energetic blonde says.

"Tsk, too many questions for such a small person, but to answer your question... yes you may call me Luce"

"YAY, my first friend!" Lucy says jumping up and down. "Wait a sec, you said Celestial Fire Demon?,"

"Yes and?" the Demon says annoyed".

"Well, which is it?,"

"are you a celestial being or a Demon?"

"I am a CE-LE-STI-AL FI-RE DE-MON" Luce says dragging out each word sarcastically.

"How? I've never heard of there being such a thing" Lucy says granting more questions.

"And yet here I am." The fire beast says looking down at the blonde grinning.

Pouting the blonde looks away, muttering about rude demons and defying logic.

She's quite strong with having four gold keys- and not at all afraid of me, hmm yes, she will do just fine, the Celestial fire demon says to himself. _She is also adorable, which will trick many foes into underestimating her power,_ the demon coos.

Looking up and down at the little girl in front of him the demon gives what Lucy thinks is a smile before offering the chance of a lifetime.

"That's it, it is decided tiny one" the fire demon says.

"What is" Lucy says smiling.

"Lucy Heartfilia I will teach you Demon Slayer magic!"

"Whaaat?"

* * *

8 months later

"Lucy, how do you expect to be a top-notch Demon slayer if you can't even make a Demons Wrath yet?" Luce says lazily.

"I'm trying!" the little blond says.

"Hmm maybe she needs an incentive, no, something else" looking to where the little girls most prized possession was the demon rolls over saying "Oh Luuucy, if you don't produce even the smallest Celestial flame today then I'm going to melt your mothers gate keys, capiche?" the demon says not at all serious.

Gasping at the threat Lucy fills with dread, "You wouldn't".

"I'm a demon so I would, in five"

"Lucifer, don't you dare" glaring at the towering demon Lucy steps forward, unnoticed by the girl, her surroundings begin to heat up at an immeasurable temperature.

"Four and I shall dare" there it is, Luce thinks as he feels the heat rise with a golden hue begin to shine around the girl.

Slowly Lucy fills with a feeling she hasn't felt since she's started training with Luce 9 months ago. A golden light has begun to surround her, as heat fills her entire body when anger towards her parental figure takes over.

"Two, I don't see you trying Lucy" Luce sings, intentionally skipping a number to further along the girl who he can see is about to finally make progress.

"I said no you won't Luce and I meant it" The little girl threatens at the final step of her lesson.

"Well since I have your keys, you can't really do anything now can you," lighting his hand up Lucifer smiles when he sees the oncoming attack.

"Oh yes I can! CELESTIAL FIRE DEMONS WRAAAATTH" Lucy yells at the last moment, surprising the demon and herself at how strong her fire is.

" _Amazing, for a mere human her fire is almost as strong as mine, you really will be the strongest slayer amongst all mages_ " the demon smiles.

"HAHAHAHA, THAT'S RIGHT HEARTFILIA RELEASE YOUR WRATH!" the celestial demon screams.

Swirling around the him unaffected was scorching flames, blinding wildlife miles away. _Yes, she will progress much faster from now on._

"You damn demon, GIVE ME BACK THOSE KEYS!" the demon slayer yells.

Laughing the Celestial fire demon walks up to the little blonde tossing her prized possession to her, "You know they were never in any danger, right? I informed Capricorn of the plan, so he knew to take them away at the last second"

"He's right Miss Lucy, I apologize for the deception, but he told us of how this might help you progress" an apologetic Capricorn says.

"well I guess if you were never in danger then it's okay, but you're still a jackass", Lucy mumbles.

"But look now we can go onto the next lesson: Celestial Demons hellfire Fist and Fire Demons Kick"

Looking away Lucy frowns until she realizes that Lucifer is right, that although his methods were a bit unorthodox, they can now move on and start working on more moves faster.

"You know I'm right, don't you "The demon says in the voice Lucy has come to know as his smug voice.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get on with the lessons" Lucy pouts rolling her eyes.

Smiling Capricorn hands his keys to his master before closing his gate, good luck Miss Lucy.


	2. The Demon Slayer and Salamander

Five years later

"Hey Luce? Luce? Where the hell did that damn demon go" a now fourteen year-old Lucy cries.

Eventually collapsing in a pile of leaves Lucy gives up realizing that she's been left behind, again.

"I thought I found someone who cared for me again, but like Mama they just left me behind." Lucy says beginning to cry. Suddenly a warmth begins to emit on her side, smiling Lucy's rubs her hands over her keys "That's true, at least I'll always have you guys by my side" Lucy says referring to her spirits. "But- now what am I gonna do?" Lucy asks her trusted friends, once she's fully done crying over Lucifer leaving her.

"Miss Lucy, might I recommend traveling as a solo mage for now." Capricorn says popping out of his key, deciding that now would be the perfect time to show up. "You may have the power, but you need the experience now."

"Tch, You should a let the brat figure that out herself." Aquarius, Lucy's closest spirit says, before agreeing with the sea goat.

"Oh, that sounds like a good idea," smiling after being silent for so long "And I know just where to go, Luce mentioned a place while we were training" Lucy says to her two most trustworthy spirits.

"And where might that be Lucy" the loyal spirit asks.

"Luce mentioned a country in the West that would give me plenty of fighting experience… it was called Alvarez" the teenager says smiling creepily like her old teacher.

 _Miss Lucy's strong but Alvarez, what was Lucifer thinking when mentioning that place to her?_ Capricorn all but thinks. _I swear that Demon had a one-track mind when it came to be raising her._

 _Tch no use trying to change her mind_ , the mermaid thinks, rolling her eyes.

Both spirits look to another before nodding accepting there's no changing their masters mind.

"Well, it's gonna take a while to get there so be prepared for the journey" the mermaid says as she disappears back to the spirit world.

Looking around the forest Lucy sighs "Well I guess I better get a move on, who knows maybe I'll even find some more gate keys on the way" the Demon slayer says as she packs the last of the remaining things from her time with Luce.

* * *

A year and a half later

"RUN! it's the Ishgar Demon!" a rogue bandit yells, trying but failing to use his shadow magic to escape.

"Celestial Fire Demon Secret Arts: Purgatory Inferno" a blaze of flames considered hotter than the sun by those it touches and yet golden like the stars shoots out from the white cloaked figure decimating one of strongest dark guild in the Western continent of Alakitasia, Hell's Nightmare den. While this mysterious person continues to project flames from their entire body, they become momentarily distracted, giving the master of the destroyed guild time to sneak up from behind with the plan to finally rid of this person who has been going around destroying every Dark Guild in the Alvarez Empire.

"I've got you know Ishgar Demon, and when I kill you everyone will know the na-ack" words left unsaid as a man in a black suit pops up out of nowhere to knock him unconscious.

"Princess you really must watch your entire surroundings," adjusting glasses, "this brute almost touched your pretty vicious little head", Loke says bowing.

"Hahaha, sorry Loke, but on the bright side, another dark guild down" Lucy says with a toothy grin, celestial fire still burning bright around her.

"Tch, and what only a hundred more to go" Aquarius says in her usual annoyed mood.

Laughing Lucy looks around at the tied-up mages making sure all are accounted for before leaving. _Well that was easy, let's hope the next one brings a better battle._

As the Demon slayer / celestial mage goes to leave the bandits she doesn't notice as one of the bandits wakes up catching a glance of her face.

"So, she's the Ishgar demon" Falling back the man's last thoughts are "How can someone so vicious look so innocent."

* * *

 _At the magic Council_

"Do you really think bringing in this mage, and honoring them as a wizard saint, will really stop them from turning on us" a well-dressed man asks as he walks in on the middle of a heated discussion.

"Perhaps, perhaps not, but whoever this mage is they show a magical prowess that is far beyond anyone we have ever seen, Draco" rank four wizard saint Warrod Sequen says.

"Well then if that is the case what rank would you consider them" now identified as Dracos Hyberion number 2 rank wizards saint drawls.

"To be able to rid of over half of the dark guilds occupying Alvarez, including Hell's Nightmare one that even our strongest mages could not, and if our information here is correct hold the power of a demon slayer and celestial mage," looking to the shocked faces of his colleagues Warrod continues "I'd say they are worthy of fifth rank wizard saint" Warrod Sequen announces to the rest of the wizard council.

All councilmen looking at the final picture of a blonde girl grinning viciously at her defeated foes, with a man in a black suit on her left and a scorpion on her right.

With one thought in mind, _where did this girl come from?_

* * *

 _Three years later_

" And just why are we heading to magnolia?"

"You already know why Lucy, you've been traveling for years, it's time to settle down, take a break" her lion spirit replies.

Sighing the demon slayer relents, agreeing that after all she has done in Alvarez, making her way back to Fiore and looking into joining an actual guild sounds nice.

"But why Magnolia" Lucy asks again.

"Do you remember the guild I was in before you saved me from my certain death?" Loke says smiling at the tall blonde.

"Hmm, not really, most of my memory from back then is yelling at stacheface and earning your loyalty, which thanks again Loke" Lucy says winking at her spirit.

Laughing at the girl's tenaciousness, he shakes his head, "Well yeah interacting with the spirit king is a pretty big deal so I'll let it slide, but to remind you, I was a part of Fairy Tail Fiore's strongest guild".

Nodding her head Lucy let's Loke continue.

"I think you'll fit right in with their destructiveness, and they have a dragon slayer so maybe he knows the whereabouts of Lucifer" Loke says trying to make Fairy Tail sound a bit more enticing.

Sighing Lucy thinks it over, she really enjoys being a solo mage, but being a part of a guild would probably be nice too. _Uh making decisions are such a drag,_ she thinks.

"Fine Loke, I'll join, but only because I'm pretty sure you want to go back to Fairy Tail and as celestial mage I promised to do whatever I could to make all my spirits happy", Lucy says casually, ignoring Loke's shocked face at the blonde doing something just for him.

"So where is this place, I'm hungry and that guild has to have food right." Lucy says at this point her only objective is getting food in her stomach.

"Well first we must stop in Hargeon to get some supplies, then we can get back on track to our way for Fairy Tail" Loke announces.

Fine, Fine, as long as I get something to eat, I'm good" Lucy says as they enter a town. "Hmm, a magic shop I wonder if there's a gate key in there?"

* * *

"So, she's heading for Fairy Tail, Lahar?" a council member asks.

"Yes, it seems as though her soloing days are over."

"It's amazing you were even able to locate her back then and get her to talk with you Warren" a member says.

"Yes, well even then she didn't seem to really know what we were honoring her with" Warren laughs, remembering the girls confused face when being told about her status and all it entails.

"For someone so powerful, she seems quite dense" Draco drawls.

"I don't know, from what I've heard she's quite strategic when taking down guilds " a young man states.

"Hmm. She's quite special that one" Warren says sagely.

* * *

The old shopkeeper looked up when his customer entered. The girl had blond hair with some of it tied in a tail at the back, and was wearing a white cloak with black pants, and matching combat boots. She also had a wrap on her left arm which piqued his interest, but she looked like one mage you didn't want to mess with.

"Oi, old man." She greeted. "You got any cool stuff in here?"

The man began to look around. "I did get some new stuff recently, but not many people in Hargeon use magic, so I mostly have things for traveling mages."

"Do you have any gate keys?" Lucy asked him. "Preferably strong ones?"

The man brightened. "I have the white dog key, but I'm pretty sure it's not very strong."

Lucy shrugged. "Whatever, I'll take it. How much?"

"20,000 jewels"

The blonde couldn't help but let smoke out of her mouth at the blatant thievery this old man was trying to pull.

"Excuse me, but how much did you say it was", a puff of fire breathed out of the girls' mouth.

* * *

"Did you have to threaten the man for a 15,000-jewel discount, Lucy" Loke sweat drops.

"Yup that man was trying to rip me off, so I had to show him who was boss." The girl says head held high.

Sighing the lion spirit smiles at his master antics, _never change princess._ "Well I'm off Lucy, need some rest if I'm going to join you when you get to the guild" the spirit says before disappearing.

"Hmm".

Lucy snapped out of her reverie when she noticed a multitude of girls running somewhere. "What the hell's going on?"

"You!" She grabbed a random girl and swung her around to face her. "Tell me what's going on. Now!"

"Salamander-Sama is in town!" The giddy girl squealed, not even noticing how she was treated. "Hurry or you'll miss him!"

Lucy frowned and let the girl go. "Salamander?" She rubbed her face trying to think of who the hell that was, remembering from Loke someone with that name being in Fairy Tail.

"Well, he seems popular." Lucy observed as she watched girls flock towards one spot. "Didn't think Fairy Tail mages were such show offs" slightly reconsidering joining such a guild.

"Move." The girl muttered, shoving past the crowd. "Get lost. You too. Out of my way." She pushed past the last two women and looked at Salamander.

"Huh." She frowned.

"This isn't worth my time." She muttered. "You'd have to be an idiot to fall for that Charm spell he's throwing around. Guess that explains why so many weak fangirls are here."

"Igneel!" Someone shouted, catching her attention. "Igneel!"

Lucy looked back towards the scene and watched a pink-haired boy frown at the fake Salamander. "Who are you?" She heard.

 _Hehe, funny._.. She thought, as she watched the horde of women stomp the boy flat.

"Now, now." The pretender soothed. "I'm sure he didn't mean to insult me." He scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to Natsu. "Here, you can have my autograph."

"I don't want it." The boy pouted, before the beating recommenced.

"He doesn't understand women at all, does he?" Lucy asked herself. _"Lucy neither do you"_ Loke tells the girl telepathically.

"Hey, I do too!", stopping mid walk to argue with herself her romancing skills, the fake salamander begins to speak.

"I appreciate the attention, ladies." The fake smiled charmingly once Natsu was sent flying. "But I have some errands to run, so please excuse me." He leapt on a wisp of purple flame and soared away. "We're having a party on my ship tonight!" He shouted, fading away. "So please come!"

"Well, time for lunch" Lucy announces, stopping halfway when a hand tugs on her cloak

Lucy looked at the salmon haired boy" Huuungry".

The girl looked at him weirdly, reaching out a hand to help Natsu up. "You're weird. I like you! Come on I was heading to go eat"

"YOSH! Come on Happy, the nice lady is feeding us!"

"You're nice" Natsu choked in between bites of food.

Lucy swallowed her horde of food before speaking. "Yeah, I saved 15000 jewels today, so I'm feeling generous. And for some reason I feel a kinship to you."

"Aye!" Happy mumbled around his fish.

Lucy sweat dropped as food kept flying everywhere because of the three of them. "So, you're Salamander, right? I'm a mage too, you know."

Natsu eyed her suspiciously. "How'd you know I'm a mage?"

Lucy shrugged. " I could sense your power. So, who's Igneel? And why were you searching for him in Hargeon?"

"Igneel was the person who raised Natsu, we thought it might be that Salamander here, turns out it wasn't" Happy says.

Natsu paused his eating. "Ya that guy didn't even look like a dragon at all. I bet he can't even breathe fire or fly." Natsu grumbled to himself as he crossed his arms in disappointment..." Natsu finishes slumping.

"Why the hell would you think a dragon would be in the middle of a small town, even I'm not that dumb." Lucy said.

 _Coming from the same person who made us accept that mission in that small village to take down a fire breathing monster because you thought it might be Luce., Aquarius remarks._

 _Shut up you overgrown fish,_ Lucy thinks.

Natsu frowned at that, "Oh, we didn't think of that."

"I guess I'll be going." Lucy stood up and put a few bills. "It was nice meeting you."

Every head snapped to Natsu and Happy as they knelt in front of Lucy, bowing and thanking her for the food as tears ran down their cheeks.

"What!" The blond yelled, sending them into a wall with a kick. "Stop making a scene!"

* * *

"So that's Fairy Tail huh, they seem to cause a lot of trouble, huh?" Lucy mused to no one as she reclined on a park bench, studying a copy of Sorcerer Weekly. "Sheesh. That Salamander guy destroyed the Devon Thief family and seven houses belonging to townsfolk along with it." Guess I would fit in after all.

Lucy flipped the page over to see a white-haired teen modeling. "Oh, this Mira Jane girl is pretty.

Lucy gave a large smile. "There's no denying it, Fairy Tail is the best!" She exclaimed.

"I see." The fake Salamander popped out of the bush behind her bench. "So, you want to join Fairy Tail."

"Huh?"

"I've been looking for you, you know." The man continued. "I really wanted to invite a beautiful lady such as yourself to my party."

Lucy scowled. "Get lost, weirdo."

"Wait up!" The poser shouted as he ran after her. "I can get you into Fairy Tail!"

 _There's something weird about how insistent he is_. Lucy frowned. _Maybe I should see this thing through, just in case he's up to something. But I reeeeally don't want to._

" _Lucy". Her Lion spirit scolds._

"Fine." Lucy sighed. "I'll come."

"Great!" The man grinned. "Just come to my ship this evening and I'll get you in Fairy Tail for sure!"

Lucy sighed again as the guy flew off on his weird fire. _What a drag._

"So, your name's Lucy, huh?" The man smiled. "That's a very nice name. It suits you."

Lucy gave a bored nod, sprawled out on a sofa and reading her magazine.

"You don't act like most girls I've met." The pseudo-Salamander observed. "You're very... different."

"Hmm, Lucy scoffed. "Yeah, well Lucifer said that to be different is to be great"

The man sweat dropped at the name referral before pouring her a glass of wine. "Here you go, a festive drink for a festive party."

"Sure." Lucy grunted, drinking it and requesting another. "Uh that was disgusting what the hell was in that".

"Why-how the hell are you not knocked out." The poser says nervously. "That drink had enough sleeping serum to knock out a wizard saint".

"I've immuned myself to that type of stuff", yawning she speaks again, "now can you tell those grunts of yours to come out" Lucy says taking another drink of the spiked wine.

"Lucy stop drinking the wine already" Loke says popping out annoyed with his master.

"But I'm thirsty?"

"Yes, but you also have to defeat these jerks" igniting his fist "and while you won't get knocked out by the serum, you aren't immune to getting drunk" Loke says pointedly.

Caught up in their argument they fail to notice the fake Salamander call out his henchman.

The host snapped his fingers. "You heard the lady. Come out!"

"Guess it's time men, let's get the weirdo." The leader observed, holding up a branding iron. Before he or the others could act, however, Natsu crashed through the ceiling.

Lucy stared. "What in the...?" Taking advantage of the distraction, a thug yanked her keys out of her hand and threw them out into the sea.

"Damn Salamander!" Lucy screamed, punching the same man with a golden fist, she turns to Natsu who was rapidly turning green from motion sickness. "Loke and I had this covered! What are you doing here?"

"Grr, whatever." "Just deal with this guy, I need to get my keys back." Before the fake Salamander could react, she ran up to the railing and jumped over it into the water.

"What a drag, I have to take care of an annoying guy on a boat and save Natsu." Lucy says once she gathers her keys. _Whatever, at least I get to see Aquarius._ Laughing Lucy grabs the key she was looking for. Plunging the tip of a key into the water she shouts "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer. Aquarius!"

A mermaid-ish woman appeared next to Lucy, carrying a vase filled with water.

"Tch." The spirit scoffed. "What do you want you fire breathing brat?"

"Hey", Lucy shouted at Aquarius.

The woman sighed dramatically. "Hey, what?"

"Don't take that tone with me, Aqua!"

"What are you gonna do about it, hmm?" You're in my domain squirt" the spirit says smirking.

Grumbling the blonde looks away, "Nothing"

"Indeed." Aquarius gives a grin. "Seriously though, what do you need this time?"

Lucy pointed at the ship. "Just blast that back to shore."

The woman nodded and prepared her vase. "Too easy."

Aquarius swung her vase and a huge whirlpool formed under the ship, swirling it around and around until the churning suddenly ended and the ship was sent hurling to the shore with a large wave bearing down on it.

"Done. Hey, how the hell did you survive that death trap without getting motion sickness?"

"Mind over matter?" Lucy says innocently.

Aquarius burst out laughing. "Yeah right. You made Loke give you a motion sickness pill again didn't you, you know those are gonna wear off the more you use them, right?"

Shrugging the demon slayer looks away "better than dying on that piece of crap". Smiling the mermaid goes "We'll, I'm done here. Don't call on me for the next week, I'll be going on vacation with my boyfriend. You know, that thing you'll never have?"

"I'm single by choice!"

Aquarius laughed again. "Sure, Lucy." She told the girl as she disappeared.

"Ah, the rocking stopped." Natsu straightened up. "You. Are you a mage of Fairy Tail?"

Looking from the port, Lucy sighed. "What a waste, getting all riled up like that over one crook." She muttered.

The faker sneered. "And if I am, then what?"

Natsu scowled and threw a random thug at the man. "I'm Natsu of Fairy Tail, and I have never seen your face before!"

"That mark." A badly beat-up grunt wheezed, staring at Natsu's bare shoulder. "He's the real deal, Bora-san."

"Don't call me that, you idiot!"

"Bora of Prominence." Lucy muttered. "He got kicked out of the Titan Nose guild because he used magic to steal."

"Aye." Happy agreed, floating next to her head.

"I don't care if you're a bastard or a damn hero." Natsu growled. "I won't forgive you for using our name!"

"Shut up, brat." Bora sneered and blasted Natsu with purple fire. "Heh, that showed him."

"That's just awful." Natsu announced as the flames were somehow sucked into his open mouth. "I've never eaten such disgusting flames before. Are you really a fire mage?"

"So, another slayer huh." Lucy commented. "I wonder if he knows where Lucifer is".

"Who's Lucifer?" Happy asked.

"The demon who taught me my magic".

Happy sweat dropped "A demon taught you celestial magic? I thought that was a holy type of magic"

"No, my mother taught me my celestial magic, Lucifer was the demon who taught me my Celestial fire demon slaying magic, but then disappeared 4 years ago."

"Whoa Natsu's dragon disappeared seven years ago, how weird is that?" Happy says.

"Pretty weird, I was gonna ask if he knew where Lucifer was, but since the time periods don't match up, I'm guessing not"

"Yeah, we don't know. But you must be pretty powerful if you have two types of magic!" Happy exclaims.

"Uh, I guess so" Lucy says scratching her chin.

Happy couldn't help but think one thing _"Her and Natsu would be great friends!"_

"Aah." The pink-haired boy wiped his mouth. "That hit the spot."

"What the hell?" Bora shouted in fear. "He just ate fire!"

"Now that I've eaten, I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled, before putting his fists in front of his face and taking a deep breath.

"Bora-san, I've seen him before!" One of the thugs shouted. "That pink hair and the scaly-looking scarf... he's the real Salamander!"

Natsu roared as he blew out a gust of flame all over the battlefield, before jumping through it with a flaming fist and nailing Bora right in the face. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

Bora screamed in pain as he shot through several walls, bringing down an entire row of buildings.

"Natsu learned this from Igneel." Happy explained. "It's dragon slayer magic. He can eat fire and use it for power like a dragon!"

"That's cool and all." Lucy remarked as Natsu spewed out more flames for some reason. "But he took down half the city. Who's gonna cover this."

"Aye!"

"That didn't answer my question cat."

A contingent of soldiers rushed into the city. "What is the meaning of this?" The commander yelled at them.

"Crap, I got to go", Lucy shouted, heading to run off in a random direction before Natsu grabs her.

"I heard you wanted to join a guild, come on I'm taking you to Fairy Tail! Your weirdness is gonna fit right in there!"

"Aye sir" Happy yells flying next to the two slayers running towards a new adventure.

 _Well Loke guess we're almost to our new home,_ Lucy thinks as she continues to get dragged further away from the destroyed town.

* * *

 **As you can tell Lucy has a laid back devil may care attitude, thanks to Lucifer of course. She's kinda lazy when it comes to actually having to do stuff. That was a small taste of the type of moves she uses and in this story her and Natsu will still be best friends. I kinda edited some stuff so the council met lucy already and that's how she got her status. Realized I jumped around so hope this is better.**


	3. Joining Fairy Tail and Saving Macao

"Those damn fools in Fairy Tail have done it again! This time they destroyed half a port!" One man shouted out as he crushed the report in his hand.

"Honestly those fools…we should just disband them and be done with it." Org sighed as he rubbed his temple.

"I quite like hearing about their antics, its fools like them that make this world so interesting." Siegrain said with a smirk, earning himself glares from some of the more uptight members of the council.

"What Fairy Tail has done is the least of our concerns at the moment." Yajima said to bring the others back on track. "Look to the last page of the report, where it speaks of the descriptions of the guilty mages."

There was a pause as everyone turned to the final page to read, Siegrain included. _A pink haired fire mage, a blue cat, and a blonde girl with a white cloak and bandaged arm were seen escaping from the burning docks._ What's so special about that? Siegrain scoffed to himself.

However, the other members of the Council seemed to find much more meaning in the descriptions than he did, as gasps escaped from a few lips and others looked even more stressed than normal.

Siegrain turned to look at Ultear, seeing an equally as befuddled face as he was likely wearing when hearing the top four wizard saints talk about a random girl.

"Oh…so she really has decided to join Fairy Tail" Draco chuckled to himself. "I thought that was a joke.

"Indeed, it seems she was not lying when she said so, at least we'll know where to look for her if we ever need her." Warren states before signing off.

* * *

"Wow this place is big." Lucy muttered to herself, staring up at the Fairy Tail building. "But I've destroyed bigger."

 _Seriously Lucy, at least try to make a good impression_ , the leader of the zodiac pleads.

Doing a two-finger salute to no one Lucy follows Natsu to the entrance of Fairy Tail.

Natsu grinned ignoring the comment just taking it as the blonde being weird again and throwing the giant door open. "Welcome to Fairy Tail." He looked behind him surprised to see the girl already at the bar ordering food.

"Wow, she's already acting like a guild member" Happy says.

Nodding Natsu smiles, agreeing wholeheartedly "Yeah, I like her already!"

"Can I get some food" Lucy shouted, every gaze snapping to her before chaos erupted.

"Hey, who's the new girl!" A male voice shouted.

"I don't know, but do you feel the power emitting off of her" another voice off to the side says.

Mira walking up to her giggles, "Sure thing, My names Mira Jane. are you looking to join the guild while you're here" the bar maid asks as she cooks up a meal for the blonde mage.

"My name is Lucy, and I am actually. Someone recommended your guild would be a good fit for me, and thankfully I ran into Natsu who brought me here" Lucy said with a toothy grin, mouth watering at the smell of the delicious food the bar maid was cooking.

Natsu smiled as he walked up to the demon slayer. Already noticing the blonde mage becoming friends with the resident barmaid.

"I was looking for you, ya weirdo, at least join the guild first before you buy lunch."

"Eh, I'm hungry and unless there's rules about members only getting food, then joining can wait", smiling at the huge plate of food the pretty barmaid set down Lucy replies, "I'm very hungry from my travels", pointing at her plate "so food now, guild mark later" Lucy replies before digging into the food Mira Jane has laid in front of her.

Seemingly satisfied with the blonde's answer Natsu leaves to start a fight with a half-naked man. _"Huh, I wonder if all mages are as weird as those two?'_ Lucy thinks.

Continuing to eat her food Lucy pauses to get up when she senses a massive object approaching at high speed. Without even thinking about it Lucy reaches out to rope a hand around Mira Jane's waist who was in the objects sight, pulling the older woman out of the path of Elfman's flying form.

Mira Jane blinked in surprise, not expecting someone to grab her waist, but when she saw her brothers form fly past in the spot, she had just been occupying she smiled at Lucy. "Oh my, thank you for that Lucy, he may not look it, but Elfman is quite heavy."

 _What are you talking about, he does look heavy,_ Lucy sweat drops, but then smiles.

"It's no problem, happy to help a beautiful lady." Lucy said before feeling yet another body flying at them causing the blonde to dodge and exert herself as she once again ended up grabbing Mira Jane around the waist so that the two women could twirl out of the way. _Uh, moving is such a drag._ Staring longingly at the food she had abandoned in favor of saving the barmaid.

The object this time turned out to be the dark-haired boy who had been fighting with Natsu. Although now the boy was missing even his boxers, which Lucy could see were with Natsu as he was twirling the cloth in his hand as he grinned down at his fallen foe.

The boy grumbled as he extracted himself from the pile of bar stools and upon seeing Lucy, smiled arrogantly as he held out his hand. "Excuse me miss, but would you please lend me your underwear?"

Lucy blinked in surprise and could hear Mira Jane make a disapproving huff from behind her. _"Seriously what the hell is wrong with this guild Loke?"_ Lucy thinks confused on whether this is a normal thing to do as she hasn't had much human interaction in so long.

 _"Relax princess, this is just how everyone is, you're gonna love this place in no time"_ Loke says telepathically.

"Yeah, whatever". Deciding to ignore the ice mages antics and sending him away with one of her signature Celestial hellfire fists.

"What the hell, she's just like Natsu" the boy named Gray breathed out with a strange look on his face, after getting up from where he was thrown, preparing to retaliate with one of his own attacks.

"Damn, girl packs a punch" A woman drinking straight out of a barrel of alcohol slurred from her place on the bar.

"Shut it Cana!" Gray cursed, looking at the blonde who had her fists alit prepared to join in the fight.

"Holy shit, is she a dragon slayer too?"

"No way she's just like Natsu!"

"HEY, YOU! You have magic like me, were you trained by a dragon too then?" Natsu yells running towards the bored blonde.

"Actually, Natsu she was trained by a demon, and also has celestial magic" Happy says answering for the blonde.

"A demon?!"

"Holy shit, demon slayer magic and celestial"

"She must be crazy strong!" a guild member shouts staring at the blonde who went back to ignoring the shouts and back to eating.

"Wait, that magic sounds familar," Levy says, trying to recall where she had heard of a mage with similar magic.

"Hey, where are you from?" Cana shouts.

Not noticing the tension in the guild towards her power, Lucy ignores her future fellow guild mates in favor of shamelessly flirting with Mira jane.

The entire time the white-haired mage looks away blushing over Lucy's words. _"Where did Natsu find her, she's so bold."_

"Is this girl even listening to us?" Cana asks, noticing the blonde flirting with their resident barmaid.

"I... Don't think so?" Levy says, looking to the bar "I think she's trying to convince Mira to be her mate?"

"Man, hot and a great cook you'd be the perfect mate for me Mira!" grabbing the bar maids' hands "hear me out before you reject!"

"I didn't even know demon slayers had mates?" Gray says, looking to Natsu, "Oi fire breath, well?"

"Don't look at me I thought that only applied to dragon slayers, hell, to tell ya the truth I didn't even know other slayers existed until today, ice for brains" Natsu says punching Gray for the insult, starting back their brawl.

"And if you become my mate, I promise to take care of you! I was trained to handle a lot of stuff", ticking off mate worthy aspects -"defeated a ton of dark guilds ,oh and I'm strong, see look at this-" going to show something off but not understanding why Mira backs away shocked at seeing the blonde with a wizard saint badge, "So,do you accept?"

Mouth agape at the blonde Lucy stares hopefully at the barmaid until being dragged away by the ear by her closest spirit,Aquarius, who is trying her best to hold back a laugh.

"Apologies Mira was it? brat here doesn't really have the greatest record with interacting with people or romance, or really anything to do with people and talking, so if you'll just ignore everything she said, that'd be great"

Still shocked, the barmaid nods trying to rid her blush, "Thank you for the kind offer Lucy, but I'll have to turn down your offer of being mates" Mira says before walking off to deliver other members orders. _Tempting as it sounds,_ Mira giggles.

"Damn it Aqua, you blew my shot with her" Lucy says glaring her spirit.

"No, you were just too forward" ignoring the other shocked faces of the guild members to argue with her oblivious master, Aquarius fails to notice Fairy tails third master appear," And besides were you really going to claim the barmaid just because she could cook?!" the mermaid finishes smacking the blonde into the guild wall.

"Possibly, I needed to sleep with her to check if we were mmmph!"

"Alright no more words out of you" the mermaid says.

"Wow that girl works fast" Cana says sipping from her barrel.

"Seriously" another member says.

* * *

"Would you brats cut it out!" A massive man boomed, instantly stopping every member of the guild.

"Oh, hello Master, I didn't know you were still here." Mira Jane sweetly said, a bit thrown off by Lucy's mate proposal.

Lucy blinked in surprise as she stared up at the massive man from her spot in the wall. _This is their guild master? Although I suppose it makes sense considering the magical prowess he contains._ Lucy thought as she tried but failed to get away from Aquarius who was blocking her from continuing to pursue Mira jane. _Damnit brat give it up already,_ Aquarius growls tick mark appearing on her forehead.

Meanwhile everyone had decided to stop fighting. "HA HA! You bunch of wimps just going to give up? Guess that makes me the winne-." Natsu started to say but was cut off when a massive foot crushed him.

The massive man slowly surveyed the crowd before his gaze finally settled on Lucy. "Oh? A recruit?"

"Yup, my name is Lucy and it is an honor to meet you." Lucy said did a two-finger salute.

The man chuckled as he released his magic, allowing his body to shrink down to its normal size, Lucy was surprised to see that rather than being led by a titan of a man the guild master only reached her knee and was at least over seventy.

"Nice to meet you". The man chuckled.

"Lucy, allow me to introduce the guild master of Fairy Tail: Makarov Dreyar." Mira Jane introduced the man with a smile.

"Listen up!" He shouted, rubbing his back. "You idiots have done it again! Look at all the complaints I got from the Council!" He waved a bunch of papers at the gathered guild members. "Gray, you took care of the smugglers, but then you walked naked through the town, and got noticed stealing underwear that was being dried." Gray scowled.

"Elfman! You had a simple job to escort a VIP and you ended up assaulting him."

The large man frowned. "He kept saying that real men are all about education, so..."

The Master sighed. "Cana Alberona. You drank fifteen barrels of alcohol and charged the bill to the Council."

"They found out." Cana slumped.

Makarov's gaze shifted to Natsu. "And then there's Natsu. You destroyed the Devon thief family, but you also destroyed seven other houses belonging to townsfolk, burned or damaged several historically important places, and eradicated half of Hargeon's port."

"The Council members are angry at me again." Makarov frowned. "However,... to hell with them!" He exclaimed, burning the papers in his hand. "In my opinion, pouring your heart and soul into everything you do is what magic really is. If you constantly hesitate because of the Council monitoring you, your magic won't improve. So, do not be afraid to piss off the Council! Do what you think is right! That's what being a mage of Fairy Tail means!"

Lucy however only stared at the man who would soon be her master. _Hmm, seems like a powerful guy._

When the Master finished, he jumped back down onto the first floor and sat down on the bar, a mug of beer seemingly appearing out of nowhere. It was then that Mira Jane moved to stand before Lucy, a stamp held in her hands. "Well Lucy, where would you like your guild emblem and what color would you prefer?"

Lucy thought for a moment when she remembered her parental figure "Gold and…on my left arm please." Lucy decided as she revealed the arm which wasn't bandaged, drawing a look from the master.

Mirajane smiled and nodded as she pressed the stamp down on Lucy's arm, pulling it away a few seconds later to reveal a new mark upon her arm.

Lucy thanked the older woman before looking up to see Natsu staring up at a board covered in what Lucy assumed were job requests. Revealing her arm and grinning, Lucy moved to stand beside the pink haired dragon slayer.

"Hey Natsu, I joined the guild."

Natsu didn't turn around as he responded with a seemingly bored tone. "Oh ya? Well that's great for you Luigi. Welcome to the guild."

* * *

Lucy felt a golden fire start to erupt around her, slowly guild members backed away from the request board sensing whatever was about to happen was not going to be good. Igniting a fist Lucy smashed Natsu into the ground, "The names Lucy, got it"

"Yeah, I'm sorry!" Natsu stammered out, before turning back to the job offers. "Hey, this looks interesting. 160 thousand jewels for taking out a group of thieves. What say you, Happy?"

"Aye!" The blue cat smiled.

"Aye." Lucy commented. "I wouldn't mind starting off with an easy job."

"Is my dad back yet?" A small boy asked Makarov, causing Natsu and Lucy to snap their attention to him.

Makarov sighed. "You're annoying, Romeo. Your father is a mage, so trust him and wait for him patiently until he comes home."

"But... he said he'd be back in three days... and it's been over a week already... and he didn't go that far! Please send someone to look for him, I'm getting worried!"

"No way!" Makarov shouted. "Your dad is a mage! We have no mages in Fairy Tail who can't take care of themselves. Now go home and drink your milk or something!"

Anger began to run through Lucy's veins at the old man's words.

Romeo glared at the Master furiously. "Idiot!" He yelled, punching the old man in the face before running off.

A loud crack reverberated around the guild hall when Natsu slammed the thief job request through the request board.

"Master." Nab groaned. "Natsu's going to do something stupid again!"

Makarov watched as Natsu stormed out of the guild. "That idiot... He's just going to hurt Macao's pride if he goes to help him. But, it's not up to us to tell him what to do, so leave him be."

"You're an idiot, you know that."

"Excuse me?" the guild master looks to who said that only to see their newest guild member glaring at him emitting such strong power levels.

 _What strength, her magic is practically suffocating me and everyone in the guild._

"I joined this dump because a friend told me you treat each other like family", looking to the old man," from what I just witnessed my friend lied to me, and I don't like when I'm lied to."

"Listen we are all strong enough to deal with our own –

"Just because someone is strong doesn't mean they shouldn't receive help" walking slowly to the master Lucy continues her speech, " For three years straight I traveled throughout the Alvarez Empire destroying dark guilds-

All around Fairy Tail guild member's gasped or backed away from the blonde in realization of just who their new guildmate was.

"You... you're the Ishgar Demon, newly ranked fifth wizard saint. It is said no one has ever seen your face up close and survived" the third master says gasping at the news.

"Holy shit"

"So that's who she is, the only mage ever capable of destroying Alvarez's second strongest dark guild and go head to head with Grimoire heart and survive" or so I've heard" Levy says.

"She's so strong she destroyed over a hundred guilds by herself in Alvarez Empire" someone whispered

'Yes, everything you've heard about me is true, except that I was never alone. I always had someone by my side", pointing to her keys, "to help me because no one is too strong to take on an opponent. Help is ALWAYS needed old man."

Leaving the master speechless as she exits the guild with those final words of wisdom the entire guild begins to speak, "Holy shit, she's even scarier than they describe her."

"I kind of get where they're coming from." Mira told Makarov sadly not even phased at who the girl is, having already met the girl and her status "Natsu's father left him and so he doesn't want that to happen to anyone else, and from what Happy's told me the same thing happened to Lucy, so she probably doesn't want Romeo to end up like her."

Romeo looked up in shock when he sees the newest guild member pass by him right after Natsu, his face brightening when she turns to give him a toothy grin, reassuring him that everything will be okay.

* * *

"What are you...mmprh, doing here?"

"I'm here to...mmprh, herlp?"

"You too don't look like you'll be much help at all "Happy says laughing.

When both finally get off the death trap, they continue their trek up the snowy mountain.

"What was that Macao dude doing up here anyways. "

"He was here to rid a Vulcan nest or so says the job request" the cat reveals, Lucy looks to her side to see a giant clock walking beside her.

"Why couldn't you just walk?"

"I'm cold, Lushie!" he whines.

"Macao, are you out there?" Natsu yelled. "Did the Vulcan beat you up?"

A large white monkey leapt down and landed in front of them. "Oh, somethings happening?" Lucy says bored.

"Time to kick some butt!... I yell happily." Natsu commented.

"Aye!" Lucy says.

"The cat says 'Aye!'" Horologium told Lucy.

The large beast leapt past Natsu and landed right next to the spirit by Lucy. "A human woman!" It shouted in glee, staring at Lucy.

"So, it can speak, huh?" Natsu grunted.

"Nope" was the only word spoken before a golden flame was released from Lucy's mouth shooting the Vulcan away from her, Natsu and Happy. "Celestial fire demon WRATH!

"I want the human woman!" The monkey screamed, leaping back at them when the three went to towards the direction Lucy shot it. A fire punch from Natsu sent it through a wall and into an ice cave.

"You, monkey! Where is Macao?" Natsu rushed in and slipped on the icy floor, sliding across the entire cave.

"He should be careful" Lucy says before doing the same and slipping on the icy floor across the cave.

"Oh man I feel like I'm seeing doubles." Happy says.

"You understand speech, right?" Natsu stood up like nothing happened. "I'm looking for Macao, a human man."

The Vulcan titled its head. "A man?" It grinned evilly, before lumbering over to a hole in the wall and pointing to it.

Natsu peered out. "I don't see any-" The monkey laughed as it pushed him down into the ravine.

"That was my friend." Lucy told the beast, pulling out a key and igniting her arms. "So now besides finding one of my guild members, I have to kick your ass for hurting Natsu" Lucy says before yelling "Open Gate of the Bull, Taurus!"

A large bull appeared in a burst of light, holding a large twin-bladed axe at the ready. "Hello, my Nice Body!"

"Hello there pervert, I need you to help me fight that thing!"

"Yes, my Nice Body, get ready!"

Lucy changed her stance readying herself for when Taurus gave the signal.

"Rampage!" Taurus shouted, slamming the axe into the ice and causing it to split, with the crack headed straight towards the Vulcan. "Nooow Miss Luuucy!"

"Let's see how you like my Celestial demon hellfire punch!, jumping over Taurus to punch the Vulcan in the face.

Natsu chose that moment to jump in. "How dare you... wait, are there more monsters now?" He leapt towards Taurus with a flying kick. "Give me back Macao!"

Unable to catch Natsu in time, Lucy could only watch as Taurus disappeared back into the spirit world.

"God damn it Natsu! That was one of my spirits, Taurus, and he was helping us!" taking the offending leg he used and slamming him into the ground.

"I'm sorry!"

"Aye!"

Lucy looked up at Happy, who was hovering overhead. "I forgot you could fly.", realizing that was how Natsu got back from the ravine.

"Taurus." Lucy whispered to her key. "Thank you for your help" the key glowing with appreciation

Lucy turned to Natsu, who was looking for the Vulcan. " Hey where's the Vulcan?"

"I knocked it out over there, since you took too long to get back up here" pointing to the Vulcan starting to get up from its spot in the crater it made in the ice.

Natsu grinned and slammed his fist into his palm "Nice job Luce! Now, I'll finish this so we can get Macao back!"

"Sounds good" the demon slayer said yawning.

The Vulcan groaned in pain when Natsu landed a flaming kick in its stomach. "Tell me where Macao is, or I'll burn you to a crisp!" The beast roared and tried swatting Natsu away, only for the Dragon Slayer to duck and slam a fist in its face. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" The large monkey went flying and crashed into a cave wall, where it slumped in defeat.

"What's this?" Lucy muttered as they walked up to the smoking monster. To Natsu's shock, the Vulcan glowed before changing into a badly beaten man.

"Hu, pervy Vulcan was actually the dude." Lucy nodded sagely. "He was under the Vulcan's Take-Over spell." She knelt next to him and took out a first-aid kit. "It looks like he put up quite a fight before he was taken over." She eyed the gash on his side. "This is a rather drastic measure, but it has to be done". Natsu and Happy heard her say as the blonde went to sear the cut shut.

Laying a fiery hand on the wound, she quickly cauterizes it.

"What a shame..." Macao groaned. "I got 19 of them... the last one got me..." The man chuckled humorlessly. "How can I... face Romeo... like this?"

"Dumbass." Lucy stated coldly as she stood up. "Your son will be glad to see you back. He won't care how many monsters you took out if you return to him."

The man's gaze turned to her. "Huh, who are you?"

Lucy lifted her head, giving her signature toothy grin. "I'm Lucy. Newest Fairy Tail member at your service." She and Natsu hefted the man up and supported him as he stood. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Romeo looked up and his expression changed completely when he saw Natsu supporting Macao and both men grinning at him. Behind them, Lucy was yelling at Happy for some reason.

"Dad!" The small boy shouted, running up to his father and hugging his legs.

Macao knelt and returned the hug. "I'm sorry I made you worry. And next time those kids you always complain about tease you about me, ask them if their old man is tough enough to defeat 19 monsters by himself, alright?"

Romeo grinned widely and waved after Natsu and Lucy. "Natsu, Happy! Thanks, you guys. And thank you, Lucy!"

The mentioned wizards turned and waved to Romeo with smiles on their faces before heading to their homes.

* * *

 **Tell me is this too rushed?, Did you like the mirajane part? That was just a fleeting crush because Lucy was hungry and Mira can cook. How about the wizard saint part? I like your comments so tell me how the story is going.**


	4. Team Natsu takes down Everlue

Lucy sighed contentedly in her bathtub, thinking over the events of today she smiled while scrubbing away the grime from today's solo mission. "70,000 jewels for this place was such a steal, it barely made a dent in the money I've accumulated over the years.

Finishing off her bath Lucy wraps herself in a towel heading to her room, frowning when she heard a noise in the living room.

"Yo!" Natsu greeted, reclining in her chair with chips and a drink in his hand. Happy waved at her while munching on a fish at her table.

"Yo, how'd you get in my house?" Lucy says heading to her room to gather clothes.

"Mira told us where you live so we came to check it out and hang with you, "Natsu looked round nodding his head in approval "Nice place you picked out, by the way"

"Thanks, it was a steal," Lucy says to the salmon haired fire breather and blue cat, now dressed in casual sleep were. "So, what do you want?"

"We wanna know about the magic you use!" Happy and Natsu yell simultaneously.

Lucy grins, "Well, as you already heard from Happy, I have two magics, Celestial magic, and Celestial Demon Slayer magic".

"Whoa" the dragon slayer says with wide eyes, "what's celestial magic?"

"Celestial Magic allows me to summon spirits from the celestial world and call them to battle, the golden keys are the most powerful while the silver keys are only mildly powerful. I can summon them using gate keys." She explained.

"Cool, what keys do you have?"

I have eight gold keys and three silver". Pulling out her key ring "You've seen Aquarius she controls water and Taurus the bull, already, I also have her boyfriend Scorpio he controls sand, Capricorn the sea goat, Aries the lamb, Cancer the crab, Gemini the twins, and Leo the leader of the Zodiacs. Those are just the gold keys, as for silver I have Lyra, a musical spirit, and cross spirit named crux.

"Did you say a crab" Happy said.

"I think she did, buddy."

"No, he's a crab spirit, not edible, and if you try to eat him, I'll burn your butt!" Lucy threatens, scaring both visitors.

"That's cool, you must be really strong to have all those" Happy says after getting over the threat.

"To use a golden key, you would need to use as much power as one of Natsu's dragon roars, if you want perspective" Lucy says

"Whoa" the salmon haired mage and cat say looking at each other, thinking the same thing, "Lucy's strong!"

"So, you said you're a fire Demon slayer, right, What's the difference between you and me?"

"Well, first off I'm a CE-LES-TI-AL Fire Demon Slayer. And not to brag but I was trained by Luce the strongest Demon slayer there was", lighting up a fist "and my magic gives me the ability to slay demons" Lucy says grinning.

"What!" Happy shouts.

"There's no way!" Natsu says in awe of his teammates power.

"Yup", after stunning the boys with her words, Lucy remembers something "but enough of that, if you guys want, I did just get a key from Hargeon, the Canis Minor gate key, wanna see how a contract is made."

Both mages nodded happily, "Aye sir!"

Lucy grinned at the enthusiasm not having shown many her magic in a while and happy to share the experience to anyone willing to watch or even learn more about it.

Natsu and Happy whispered to each other, "I hope it's not some blood pact." Happy whispered to Natsu.

"Well that sounds like a pain in the butt to me." Natsu whispered back.

She laughed, "Nah, it's nothing like that."

They sighed out in relief.

"I am a person connected to the spirit world. Thou shall answer my call and pass through the gate." As the key glowed so did Natsu and Happy's eyes, "Open, Gate of the Canis Minor. Nikola!"

A small white dog-like creature with a large pointy nose and no fur appeared in a flash of light, squealing balancing on one leg. "Puuun!"

"Aw, don't feel bad, Luce" Natsu consoled the Celestial mage.

The blonde smiled, "Don't worry, it didn't fail, this is exactly what's supposed to happen."

Happy stopped munching on his fish. "It is?"

"Yeah, it doesn't take much magic power to get them through the gate. Some other celestial wizards keep them as pets." She smiled.

"You know this whole pet thing doesn't suit well for me." Happy told Natsu.

"Not with a weirdo like Luigi here." Natsu responded.

Lucy "Pfft, says the guy with a talking cat."

Lucy couldn't help but go back to mimicking the spirits movements before going to pet it "You're cool."

"Puuun!" the spirit squealed as if in agreement.

Both intruders staring at their future teammate in awe at her weirdness..

"Alright contract time" Lucy announced, pulling a notepad out of nowhere. "Are Mondays alright?"

The Canis spirit shook its head.

"Tuesdays?"

A nod.

"Wednesday?"

A nod again.

"Thursdays?"

"There's not really that much to it, huh?" Natsu asked Happy as they watched the spirit say no to Fridays.

"Aye sir"

"Alright contract done!" Lucy said smiling.

"Pu-Puuun!"

"Hmm." Lucy rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "What to name you? That sounds good... no never mind…that won't either. How about… yes that's it! I'll call you Plue, how's that sound?"

Plue jumped up in joy.

Lucy smiled dopily as Plue wobbled over to her, "Yeah, Plue's perfect.

Well that was pretty easy." Happy said.

"Yep." Natsu said.

"It may seem dumb to you but it's pretty important for me," she said, " a celestial wizard's contract relies on the promise that's made between the wizard and the spirit. Which is why I always make sure I keep my promises to my spirits." She stated. _I'll never forget your lessons, mama._

Natsu saw the distant look in her eyes but didn't comment on it, "Are you sure he's cool with that?"

Lucy looked down at the little spirit, "Do you want me to give you a different name, Plue?"

Plue shook his head.

"There's your answer." Lucy said to him.

"So even though his sign is the little dog he doesn't bark? That's kind of weird." Happy said.

"I'm sure people say the same thing about you Happy, seeing as how you don't meow like a normal cat would but then again, you're not normal cat so I guess it doesn't matter now does it." Lucy said pointedly. Plue jumped out of her arms and began moving back and forth.

Lucy tilted her head, "What is it Plue?"

Natsu got up from the chair, "Oh man you're right about that Plue." He said with a thumbs up.

"Pun!" Plue said doing the same thing.

Lucy stared in amazement, "You can understand him?"

Natsu stared at her.

"Something wrong?" she asked confused.

He stood back up grinning, "Alright then its settled, the two of you are gonna be a part of our team."

"The team!" Happy cheered.

Lucy looked at him, "You have a team?"

"Aye! Even though everyone in the guild is allied to one another some member's that get along well with each other form teams within the guild. That way jobs that maybe hard for one person to take can get done by a team." Happy explained.

"That makes sense" the blonde and Plue nodding their head sagely.

Lucy grinned. "Alright, I've only ever had the pleasure of my spirits as partners, so it'd be refreshing to have someone new as a teammate." Pumping her fist, as well as Plue, the little spirit seemed to have taken a liken to copying the celestial mage, Natsu noticed "Let's do this!"

"Alright!" Natsu cheered, slamming down a job request on her table, "And I already have a job for us."

"Shirotsume Town, don't know where that is…" Lucy scanned the job for more information. "We get 200000 jewels for taking care of a book from this Duke of Everlue… and it says this guy's hiring for a blond-haired maid".

"And Lucy's blond." Natsu told Happy in the corner.

"Aye! We can sneak her in as a maid!" Happy agreed.

"Hmm, I have done covert ops before with my spirits, so I guess this could work?" Smiling Lucy looks to the two in front of her, "Nice job finding such a well-suited job for us, this is easy money!"

Both mages sweat drop at seeing the blonde's enthusiasm at their prank.

* * *

 **Shirotsume Town**

Man, I'm hungry!" Natsu complained.

Lucy looked at him, "Natsu, I'm curious about something. As a dragon slayer, can you eat your own fire?"

"Nah I can't. I can only eat other fire that's not my own." He said.

She nodded, "Ah, just like me I see." She then saw a restaurant just up ahead and pointed to it, "We can eat there Natsu."

"Cool! Let's go eat!" Natsu said grabbing her hand dragging her inside the restaurant.

* * *

 **Inside the Restaurant**

All three mages stuffed there faces with meat deciding a mission with a full stomach would be better than a mission on an empty one.

"When we're done eating, we'll meet with the client and discuss the job." Lucy said.

"Aye!" they both said mouth full of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." She scolded, with her mouth full.

They closed their mouths and nodded, glaring at the hypocrite.

She leaned back in her chair, 200,000 to destroy a book… _this'll be a cinch!_

* * *

 **In the Spirit World**

"Sometimes I wonder how she managed to destroy all those guilds in Alvarez", Loke says taking a sip of his drink.

"It's the demon slayer in her, it's making her more stupid than she already is, I swear." Aquarius says.

"Nah ebi, Lucifer was just a really bad teacher." Cancer says chuckling, remembering when the demon tried to teach Lucy math, and ended up burning down half a forest to explain division.

* * *

 **At the Client's House**

The two of them arrived at the client's house and were now sitting in front of him.

"My names Kaby Melon pleased to meet you." he introduced.

"He said Melon." Happy drooled.

"Oh man you have a tasty name." Natsu drooled himself.

Lucy rubbed her chin, "I'm more of a strawberry gal" she answered.

"Those are good too.…" they said.

Kaby chuckled, "Err, yes well those fruits are quite good..." _These are Fairy Tails elite?_ "Ahem, continuing on."

Lucy stared at him for a moment when she finally registered her clients name, His name sounds familiar. I know I've heard it from somewhere.

"Well first things first," he started, "Allow me tell you about the job. It's straight forward really, Duke has a book called Daybreak in his possession. I would like you to burn it for me."

"No prob," Natsu said, "Heh, I'll burn the whole place down if you want?"

"He likes fire." Happy said.

Lucy sighed, "That's arson Natsu, we should just storm in and take it by force."

 _Miss Lucy, may I remind you that your mother would most likely disapprove of you taking anything by force, when there are better ways of retrieving an item. Capricorn says or as Lucy refers to him her voice of reason._

 _Pffft, yeah, okay._ Lucy grumbles.

"So why exactly do you want us to destroy this book?" Lucy asks.

"Pffft, for 200,000 jewels who cares." Natsu stated.

"The reward has been raised to 2 million." He said.

Natsu and Happy's eyes bulged out of their head, "2 million?!"

Lucy looked at him. Alarm bells were raised in her head, Okay, 200,000 was normal but 2 million, What the hell is going on Melon?

"I'm sorry, I thought you were aware that the amount had changed." Kaby said.

"2 million split three ways!" Natsu had steam coming out of his ears, "Wow! I stink at math but that's a lot!"

"Wait I got it!" Happy said, "I get 1 million, you get 1 million, and Lucy gets all the rest!"

"That sure sounds fair to me." Natsu said.

"Aye!" Happy said.

"No, it doesn't, I'd only get like" pausing to count on her fingers… _nothing brat, you'd get nothing,_ a voice in Lucy head says, really it was Aquarius.

"Nothing! we're splitting it evenly after the job," Lucy says glaring at the two.

Going back to the client Lucy asks, "Not that I care, because I don't, but why'd you raise the reward anyways?"

"oh, uh...Well…as much as it means to me, that book must be destroyed no matter the cost." He said clenching his fists.

Natsu's head caught on fire, "Oh yeah! I'm fired up now!" he said grabbing Lucy's hand, "Let's do this Lucy!"

"Yeah sure." She said letting him drag her away.

Back in the mansion Kaby had his head down, "Daybreak, it must be burned. It cannot be allowed to exist any longer."

* * *

 **Duke Everlue's Residence**

The trio arrived at Everlue's mansion staring at a large gate.

"So how are we gonna get in if Lucy won't wear the maid costume?" Happy questioned.

Natsu shrugged, "Don't know, ask Lucy."

Said girl was looking around for some sort entry way they could use so they wouldn't be seen and found one. She smirked, "I know how we're getting in."

They looked at her, "How?" they asked.

"Like this, improvised move, "celestial jet fire boots!", before they could even blink Lucy was shooting up the side of Everlue's mansion, golden flames shooting out of her feet.

Natsu and Happy sparkled at their teammates moves, "She's so cool!" Happy said.

"We really know how to pick em' right Happy," Natsu said grinning as he repeats Lucy's exact move shooting up the side of the mansion until he meets his teammate at a giant window.

Lucy gave a toothy grin when she saw Natsu and Happy get to the top towards the roof where the highest windows were. Having arrived at their destination Lucy explained the plan to Natsu and Happy. "We're gonna sneak in, find the book and then burn it."

Natsu crossed his arms, "Hmm. I like it! Let's go Happy"

He brought his finger up to the glass setting it on fire melting it away slowly, "But seriously, I expected more of a take them by storm you know. I think we should've just busted through the front door."

Lucy shook her head, "Nah, too much work. It's best we sneak around, get the book and get out, but if it turns out we got to fight then by all means, we go at it."

"Aye!" they both said.

They got inside the mansion sneaking around and looking in each different room, but they didn't see the book anywhere.

"Are we gonna have to search every room in this whole stocking place?" Natsu complained.

"Looks that way." Happy said.

"Uh, what a drag." Lucy whined, not liking that there was more work to be had.

"I say we should just take a hostage and force them to tell us where the book is." Natsu suggested.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Lucy sweat-dropped, "I mean it could work but two things wrong with that. One, this place looks dead so no one to take hostage and two, That's something only a dark guild would do, and we are not a dark guild. Try to be stealthy like a ninja." Lucy says as she puts her cloak around her face. Drawing looks from the two.

They blinked at her, "Like a ninja…" Natsu said.

Lucy stopped moving, "What, do you not like ninjas?"

Just then the floor moved, and four maids appeared from down below, "Intruder alert Virgo!"

"Let's crush them girls!" Virgo said.

"Guess we've been found." Lucy sighed "How lame".

Natsu moved, punching the four maids, "Ninja power!"

Virgo went on the attack shooting up in the air, "Flying Virgo attack!"

Lucy acted quickly pushing Natsu out of the way, "Celestial ninja Punch!" she cocked her fist back and punched the gorilla woman in the stomach sending her flying towards the golden statue of Everlue making her crash into it.

She felt her shoulders being grabbed and she was spun around facing a worried Natsu, "You alright Lucy?!"

She nodded, "Of course I'm okay. No need to worry." she felt him squeeze her shoulders slightly.

"No can-do Luce, we're a team so I got to worry!" Natsu said with a grin on his face.

Smiling Lucy shakes her head, "Oh. Well as your team mate, I'll worry for you too"

"Hey what about me!" Happy says with giant tears coming down his face.

"Don't worry buddy with me and Luce we'll always protect you so there'll be no need to worry about you, right Luce?"

"Right" Lucy says smiling at her weirdo teammates.

* * *

 **Library**

They arrived at the library and saw that the Duke had a lot of books stored here. Lucy was amazed by how many books he had, "Who would've thought Everlue's was a major book worm."

"Let's start looking." Natsu said.

"Aye sir!" Happy said.

They looked around searching many titles but didn't see the book anywhere. Lucy sighed, "I didn't know people liked books this much."

"Found it!" Natsu yelled, waving a golden book in his hands around.

She turned to him and sure enough he had the book Daybreak in his hands grinning in victory, "Look its sparkling!"

Lucy jumped down from the ladder and looked at the book in Natsu's hands, "Its Daybreak."

Natsu's hand was set on fire, "Alright time to burn it." but before he could Lucy grabbed the book from him inspecting it.

"So, Kemu Zaleon wrote this book." She said.

"Say what?" Natsu questioned.

"Zaleon was a great wizard and an amazing novelist from what my spirit is telling me," she told them, "This must be his last work before he died."

"Who cares? Let's burn it already!" Natsu said.

Lucy shook her head, "Not yet. Not until I find out the real reason behind this mission, no one raises a quest this high in the middle just because… and besides, the Duke's on his way here".

They were confused by her words until they heard a sinister laugh, "Well, what do we have here?" someone burst through the floor revealing it to be Duke Everlue himself.

"So, you thieves are looking to take Daybreak away from me, are you?" he said.

"See slowpoke this is happening because you took too long." Natsu said but then noticed that Lucy wasn't even paying attention to them and a giant goat in a suit was now reading daybreak while Lucy kept watch."

"Your reading the book right now?!" they all yelled.

"I've had enough, how dare you put your filthy hands on my possession's! Now, come forth! Vanish brothers!" the library split in half and revealed two men.

"You called upon us sir?" the bald one asked.

"Can you believe these little punks are from the Fairy Tail guild? Talk about a bunch or runts." The other man said.

"That sign means they're from the Southern Wolves. It's a mercenary guild." Happy pointed.

Natsu cracked his knuckles, "So you got body guards do ya?"

Lucy's eyes widened, when Capricorn whispered something in her ear "Wait, really so this is…? "Indeed, it just might be." Capricorn says. Moving from her spot she touched Natsu's shoulder getting his attention, "Take care of these two while I give Capricorn time to finish decoding the book. He might have found a hidden secret."

"Right." Natsu nodded.

She ran towards the white door and closed it right behind her but Everlue heard her words.

A secret? It must have slipped by me somehow; it could be a treasure map or something. He thought.

He sunk beneath the ground; "I'm going after the girl and the goat, and make sure the pink haired one here doesn't leave in one piece!"

"Yes sir!" they both said.

Natsu turned to his friend, "Happy go on and help Lucy."

"Are you sure you don't need me here?" Happy asked.

"No thanks, I'll be just fine."

Happy nodded and flew off to go find Lucy.

"You sure are confident for a little guy. Maybe we need to put you in your place." The blue haired man said.

Natsu cracked his neck, "Let's go then."

"Heh, you're out your league kid." The bald one said, "This will be over in ten minutes.

* * *

10 minutes later

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" raising both arms in the air he finished off his opponents in 10 minutes.

"Aw man its over already? Did I overdue it again?" Natsu asked no one then shrugged, "Oh well, guess I'll just go check on Lucy and Happy."

"N-no mercy…", "Sorry mama" the two mercenaries said before passing out.

* * *

 **With Lucy and Happy**

Lucy and Happy were currently in the sewers underneath the mansion, both keeping watch over the spirit whose attention was on decoding the book, which they figured out had a hidden message placed on the book. "Hey Capricorn, you almost done" Lucy asked

He sighed and closed the book, nodding. Having read the entire book and now understanding why this book was so important to the client.

Happy looked at the goat, "Did you figure it out?"

Giving a small smile. "Yes indeed, and I think your client Kaby, Miss Lucy will be surprised when he sees the hidden secret of this book."

"Or you can just tell me the secret, goat" They heard a voice say. It took only a moment for him to determine where it was before Capricorn jumped out of the way.

"Nice try, but I have good reflexes. Better luck next time." He said.

"Why you …!"

Before the man could react, Lucy had already ignited her hand "Since you went to all the trouble to follow us like some creepy old dude you better give me good fight. She put the book in her bag beneath her cloak. "Hope you don't mind helping me out here, Capricorn".

"Not at all, Miss Lucy".

"Dual magic, but how? The taut man says frightened for a moment. "No matter I have Virgo to help me take care of you, once she's done with that pink haired boy."

"Nice try, but you couldn't even take on Happy". Lucy taunts, her magical aura rising as she prepares to fight the chubby duke.

A vein popped from his head, "How dare you! Boy Yo Yo Yo Yo!" a magic symbol appeared on his back and he dived into the earth.

"What did he just do?" Happy blinked in confusion.

"He's using diving magic. Not bad I guess, but I'm still not impressed." Lucy sighed. Everlue popped out from underground hoping to strike her but she avoided every attempt by twisting and doing backflips. She jumped a few feet away from him. "Uh, what a drag." Delivering a kick to the fat Duke tossing him into the sewer walls.

"Now the story makes sense. This is a horrible tale about a disgusting man called Duke Everlue." The goat glared.

"You serious?" Happy said.

"I don't know if I'd called the protagonist trashy, but yes." He picked himself up and dived right back underground, "The story itself is crap! It was written by the great Kemu Zaleon! Inexcusable!"

Lucy flipped out of the way, "Your arrogance really disgusts me. You forced him to write this book, didn't you?"

"Arrogant? That word doesn't begin to apply. To tell my story is in honor, no matter what the circumstances."

"So why blackmail him?" Lucy questioned.

"Blackmail?" Happy questioned.

"What's the big deal? He just needed some extra encouragement that's all."

Her eyes narrowed, "Oh really?"

"Any fool would jump at the chance to have me as their muse, but had the audacity to say no. So, I told him to either write the novel or your family will lose their rights to citizenship." He snickered.

Happy gasped, "But…then none of them would be able to join the guilds and make a living. Do you really have the power to do that?"

"I have to power to do anything!" he said bursting from the earth, "I got him to write it didn't I?"

Lucy glared at him, anger beginning to take over because of the man's cruel words.

"But then he turned a great man like me into a hatched job?! The nerve of that fool!"

"Get over yourself! It's true that he wrote about all the pain and torture that you put him through. But the chapters about what you did to him are only the small part of the book, in fact its secret has nothing to do with you." she said, repeating everything Capricorn revealed to her.

"Tell us Lucy!" Happy asked.

"What the devil do you mean?" Everlue demanded.

"There's no reason for you to know," she said, making the room heat up with golden flames surrounding the girl.

Everlue brought out a golden key of his own when he saw the rise in power, "Open! Gate of the Maiden Virgo!"

"What the? He's using the same magic as you do Lucy!" Happy said.

"Tsk, gross".

Virgo appeared from underground with Natsu on her shoulder, "Huh? Lucy? Happy? What's going on?"

Lucy blinked in surprise, " How did you get here?"

"Well I saw her moving and grabbed hold of her next thing I know I'm here." He explained.

"Hold on then that would mean…" Lucy started.

"He was able to pass through the spirit gate with Virgo." Capricorn said.

"I thought that was impossible to do?" she questioned.

"As did I".

"So, what do I do now?" Natsu asked.

Lucy looked back to Natsu, "Well first off get off her then let Capricorn take care of the rest."

He grinned, "You got it!" jumping off Virgo he landed safely next to Lucy.

"Virgo! Take out the trash!" Everlue commanded.

"As you wish master!" Virgo charged at Capricorn.

"Capricorn, you know what to do!" Lucy grinned.

He nodded, "Of course, Miss Lucy." As if teleporting in front of the spirit he began kicking her in the face sending her back. Appearing before her again and again, with a barrage of punches.

"Holy cow! Lucy's spirit is so strong!" Happy said.

"No kidding! I'd like to fight him myself!" Natsu grinned.

Lucy shook her head, "Nah I wouldn't recommend that, Capricorn's pretty strong." Looking to where her spirit was fighting only to see he was finished. "Oh, that was fast."

Capricorn walked away from where Virgo fell on her back defeated, "I have finished the task you have given me Miss Lucy." He bowed.

Lucy smirked, "Nice job! Now then that leaves only you."

Everlue was paralyzed with fear. This girl's spirit was able to beat Virgo without any problems! And she was burning with such hot flames, He knew he was finished.

Lucy rushed at him, "Now then, for my special move: Celestial Hell flame sucker punch" punching him right in his face sending him hurling in the air and landing to the ground unconscious with his nose and lip bleeding.

Capricorn smiled, shaking his head. "Luce taught you that move, when Aquarius and I weren't around didn't he."

Lucy shot a toothy grin at the goat spirit "Luce said sucker punches are a very effective method for battle wins."

"I suppose they are." He says hiding a smile and saying goodbye.

He bowed, "Until next time." He left in a puff of smoke.

Lucy saw Virgo's key and walked over to Everlue and took the gate key from him, "You won't be needing this anymore, so I'll be taking Virgo away from you. Besides, I can already tell you haven't been treating her well anyway." She looked down at the fallen Duke in disgust.

Natsu and Happy approached, "Lucy that was awesome! I didn't know you could send people flying like that! You've got to fight me when we get back to Fairy Tail!"

"Aye! I wanna see you guys fight to!" Happy said.

Lucy yawned, " Nah, I don't think so., I don't fight unless needed too." She looked over to the fallen spirit and knelt down, " Sorry for having to use Capricorn on you Virgo. Why don't you go back to the spirit world and rest up?"

Virgo opened her eyes and looked at her, "I thank you. Lucy. I entrust my key to you," she said fading away in a golden light. Lucy stood up with a dopey smile on her face as she hooked her new key on to her key ring.

Natsu and Happy had smiles on their faces, which soon disappeared when they felt their whole surroundings shake. The three of them watched as the whole building came crumbling down around them.

Natsu had his hands behind his head, "Wow Lucy, a few days and already you're acting like a true guild member! You are definitely gonna fit in with us!"

"But, aren't we supposed to not destroy stuff?" Happy asked in confusion.

Lucy shrugged, "He was a jerk anyways" looking at all the damage the trio had done to the Duke's mansion.

* * *

 **At Kaby's House**

"When I had my spirit read Daybreak, he couldn't believe it was written by Kemu Zaleon. He was appalled by it believing there's no way he would have written something so bad." Lucy said.

Natsu shrugged, "Yeah, so?"

"So, that's how he knew there must be a spell on it." she said giving the book to Kaby who took it from her.

"But I requested this book be destroyed. Why on earth are you handing it back to me completely unscathed?" he questioned.

"If you really wanna burn it then I'd rather you do it yourself. I'm not gonna waste my flames on something so valuable" Lucy told him.

"Valuable. Doubtful! I never want to see it again!" he gripped the book in anger.

"I understand how you feel about this book Kaby, you want to protect your father's legacy. Because your Zaleon's son, aren't you?" she said.

Natsu and Happy blinked in surprise.

"Yes... that's true." He said, looking down.

"Have you read it yourself?" she asked.

"No…I…I could never bring myself to do it. My father told me it was garbage." He said.

Natsu got angry, "You were just gonna burn it?"

"I was."

Natsu grabbed him by the collar, "Without even bothering to see what's inside?! It's the last book that your dad wrote right?! Some of us would kill for that kind of memory!" Lucy grabbed him by the back of his shirt and tossed him on the couch angry herself.

"Shut up and let him explain himself!" she yelled. "Well? Explain yourself" Lucy glared, also feeling the same emotions as Natsu.

Natsu saw the look in her eyes and kept quiet.

"Please, that book caused my family great heartache and shame. It was thirty-one years ago." Kaby started telling the story, "My father came home suddenly and said, "forgive me son." I demanded to know where he was for three years without ever contacting us. He said "somewhere I'll never return. It's all over now. After he said that he picked up a cleaver and cut his arm off."

Natsu and Happy flinched.

"And then?" Lucy asked.

"You're not bothered?!" they yelled.

"I told him off for agreeing to write that book for the Duke of Everlue and called him a sad excuse for writer and said he wasn't much of a father either. Not long after that my father passed away, however the anger and betrayal I felt towards him lived on." He said sadly, "But as the years passed by me that anger slowly turned into remorse, and now…it's too late for me to ask him for his forgiveness."

Natsu didn't say anything he had his back to him with his arms crossed.

"So, I decided to make amends by destroying the final work that caused him so much unhappiness. This is the only way…the only way I can preserve his legacy." Kaby said.

Lucy sighed, "Man, you're an idiot Kaby."

They all looked at her.

She sighed again, "Kaby look!" as if hearing her words, the book glowed purple blinding Kaby.

"What's happening?!" he yelled.

The words Daybreak lifted from the book, "A spell has been casted on this book, it's the work of the wizard Kemu Zaleon or should I say Zekua Melon." Lucy said.

"A spell?" Kaby questioned.

The words Daybreak spelled a different word. It spelled…Dear Kaby.

Kaby saw the words, "Dear Kaby…?"

Lucy smiled, "That's right, this book is his letter to you. Disguised behind a spell that rearranged all of the words, so no one else could read it."

The book glowed brighter and opened the letters coming out of it and surrounding all of them.

"Wow…" Natsu stared in awe.

"Pretty…" Happy said.

"He didn't stop writing because he was ashamed. He stopped because he had finished his masterpiece. A novel containing everything he ever wanted to say to his beloved son, and when you read it the way he intended its easily his best work ever." She explained. _Or at least that's what Capricorn told me,_ Lucy sweat dropped.

Kaby had tears in his eyes then he remembered his father's words before he died.

"I thought about you the entire time I was gone."

The book closed and descended towards Kaby's open hands.

"And now that the spells been broken you can read it for yourself." Lucy smiled.

Kaby got on his knees hugging the book closely, "Thank you father. I swear that I will not let any harm come to this book."

Natsu turned around putting both hands on his head, "Well, I guess we won't be collecting that reward."

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Lucy smiled, "You're right Natsu, I guess we won't."

"Huh?" Kaby questioned.

Natsu turned to him, "We were supposed to destroy it. We didn't finish the job."

"Even so, let me do something." Kaby insisted.

Lucy pointed to the book, "If you want to do something then keep that book close to you and cherish it. After all, it's the final piece your father left to you, someone he loved very much." She said smiling sadly walking away Natsu and Happy following her.

Natsu waved his hand, "Lucy's right, thanks for offering but we don't want it."

"Are you guys sure?" Happy asked.

Natsu cocked his head to the side, "I think it's time we all go home, that means you too Mr. back home."

Mr. and Mrs. Melon smiled at them as they walked away.

* * *

 **Nighttime at the Campsite**

"So Natsu, how did you know they didn't own that house and were only renting it?" Lucy asked.

"Their scent didn't match the house it smelled like something else." He answered stuffing some fish in his mouth.

"I see," she said taking a bit out of the fish in her hand, "So you can detect scents and stuff like me, huh?"

Natsu nodded his head "Yeah, I also have really good hearing"

"Same here."

"Cool" Natsu says grinning.

Natsu rubbed his chin, "Hang on a sec, why did you have your spirit read the Kaby book?" looking to the blonde, why not just read the book yourself and find the secrets?"

Lucy turned her head "Well, the thing is, I don't really like reading , but Capricorn does, and when I saw that it was Kamu Zaleon, I knew it'd be a win-win because I remembered during my travels Capricorn constantly telling me abut this guy " laughing at the memory, "And i'm not that good when it comes to needing to read things."

Happy tilted his head, "You're lazy Lushie."

She shrugged, "You can thank Luce for that, he was the epitome of lazy. The only time he did things was when he was teaching me magic, other than that he was extremely lazy and it kinda rubbed off on me"

"Wow, Luce sounds as weird as you" Natsu laughed.

"Yeah, he was great" smiling Lucy went to lay on the ground, " Well, I'm going to sleep. Today was a drag."

Natsu blinked at her, "Seriously just like that she goes to bed?"

"Lushie's funny." Happy giggles.

Natsu shook his head at Happy and grinned in agreement.

* * *

Hope this chapter is better...getting close to meeting Erza. Did some editing, hope Lucy doesn't sound too dumb now. Also I looked up who Shikamaru is and not my intention to make Lucy like him, it's just how she ended up lol.


	5. Lucy's mate and Lullaby

Morning

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Natsu?" Lucy asked while eating celestial food that Virgo brought out to raise up her energy as they continued this long trek through the swamp Happy was leading them through.

"Happy says this is the way home, so this is where we're going." Natsu said, determinedly.

She shrugged trusting her teammates enough to continue following them, partially since she herself was not familiar enough with Magnolia to try and find her way home alone.

"Aye!" Happy said.

Natsu smiled grateful that Lucy didn't complain about how long the way back to the guild was. A part of him thought she might on account of how lazy she is but seeing her eat that weird celestial food and happily chat with his best friend made him realize she really didn't mind the walk. Lucy was the first person to ever team up with him and while he was skeptical at first, after defeating Everlue together and making the journey back to the guild together he knew that having her as part of his team was a great idea, even if it was part of a prank at first _. Happy likes her too, so that's a plus in my book!_

He couldn't help but think that her having slayer magic made her even cooler because together their team would probably be one of the strongest now. And yeah, her personality was a little weird but then again so is everyone else in Fairy Tail. _Man, Lucy's gonna be a great team mate._

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the bushes move. Lucy was moving to walk to where she heard the noise but Natsu beat her to it by jumping in the bushes.

She sighed, "Natsu doesn't have to worry about it, there's no threat" deciding to lay down on the ground for a moment.

"You're really lazy Lushie!" Happy giggled. Sticking her tongue out, Lucy moves into a comfortable position waiting to see what happens next.

The culprit as well as Natsu came out of the bushes glaring at each other.

"It's Gray!" Happy said.

"Hmm. So that's why I smelt ice, but why is he not wearing clothes again?" Lucy sighed.

"I was trying to find a bathroom." Gray said, wondering if he really smelt like ice.

"Why would you strip down before you found one? And who the heck ever heard of a bathroom in the middle of a forest?" Natsu glared.

"I wanted some privacy I didn't expect an idiot to barge in." Gray glared back.

They got in each other's faces growling at each other.

Lucy closed her eyes enjoying their fight, "I was bored, but not anymore." while biting into more celestial food that she pulled out of nowhere.

"That's Natsu and Gray for ya." Happy said while trying to swipe the food out of Lucy's hands only to get smacked out of the way.

After the two of them stopped their arguing they all sat down and relaxed.

"So, you were on your way back from a job?" Lucy asked.

Gray nodded, "Yeah there's a shortcut here through these woods that'll get you back to town in no time."

"See Lucy? My nose is never wrong!" Happy puffed his chest out.

She smiled, "Yeah, great job Happy. But why is it that you couldn't smell Gray who was close by?"

"There are some things I'd rather not smell." Happy shuddered.

A tick mark appeared on Gray's head, "What'd you say?!", ignoring Gray Happy looked to Lucy.

"Why didn't you smell out Gray?" Happy questioned. "Thought your senses were as good as Natsu's" Happy teased.

"I said I smelt ice, didn't I?" the girl shrugged, "And besides, I knew he wasn't a threat. Why do you think I didn't get up?"

"Cause you're lazy" the cat giggled.

"Touché" Lucy smiled, going for a high five with Happy.

"Now that we have that settled go on home and we'll smell ya later." Natsu grinned.

Gray got up, "Fine I will, and unless you want trouble you should to."

Lucy blinked up at him moving to stand up, _moving... So much work_ , "And why do you say that?"

Shivering as he spoke, Gray said, "Ezra's due back anytime now." Natsu and Happy gasped, feeling the same terror and dread that Gray was obviously feeling. A bit clueless regarding their actions, Lucy asked innocently, "This Erza... Is she another member of Fairy Tail?"

"Not just any member," Happy explained with a shaking voice, "Erza Scarlet is the strongest and scariest female member of Fairy Tail. "

"Nah, I'd say she's more of a Wild Animal" Gray said flippantly.

"Vile beast" Natsu added.

"Noo! A full-on monster!" Happy said.

"I heard that she once brought down three mountains with one kick." Gray said.

"Don't exaggerate, Gray. It was only two mountains," Happy corrected. Lucy imagined a giant, silhouetted girl stomping down mountains with their descriptions of Erza. _She sounds breathtaking._

"Wow…is she single? Doesn't matter I'll just woo her like I did Mirajane" Lucy tells the three mages garnering looks. Scaring them when she gasps, "Oh no, I hope Mirajane doesn't cry too much when I break up with her".

Natsu and Gray turned to give identical dumbfounded expressions. "What the hell is she talking about flame-brain?" Gray asked his pink headed rival.

Shaking his head, the dragon slayer said nothing regarding his teammates' weird comments already used to them and deciding to instead get back on track to getting home.

"Just ignore Lushie, that's what we do, anyways" Happy said laughing.

Looking at the three teammates Gray shook his head, deciding that the blonde was a perfect teammate for Natsu with how weird she was.

Natsu went to keep walking but stopped when he noticed Lucy not moving. In fact, he couldn't help but notice how high her magic power was rising and where she was focusing on.

"Hey Luce... you okay over there" Natsu asked, noticing the demon slayers magic was only rising higher and she never lost focus on the spot even when he nudged her.

"What's wrong Lucy?" Happy asked landing on top of her head to try and get a reaction out of his friend.

"Celestial demon flame whip!"

In the blink of an eye Lucy whipped out a golden flame like rope grabbing hold of five unknown mages and smacking them into a nearby tree.

"Uhhhhh. What happened?" one of them moaned.

"I can't move!" another one said trying to wiggle out of the flame whip burning into their clothes.

"It burns!" another one yelled trying to use his magic to escape to no avail.

Gray blinked up in astonishment then looked back at Lucy in total shock, "She was so fast…how though?"

Natsu laughed at the expression on Gray's face, "That was her demon slayer magic she showed us earlier, it's awesome right!"

"Aye! Her demon slaying magic is like Natsu's except stronger! "Happy explained.

"No way." Gray said awed by the girls' power. He turned to look at the mages all tied up in her flame rope, amazed that she has the power to construct such a thing.

Happy nodded, "Yup, don't you know she's a wizard saint."

"You serious?" Gray asked in disbelief.

Happy nodded, "Aye! Fifth rank"

He looked over at Lucy who had her arms crossed glaring at the five unidentified mages.

Natsu stuck his tongue out, "Yeah Gray! And she's my partner! So, don't even think about poaching her from me and Happy!"

Gray growled back, "Shut up Flame brain! I wasn't thinking that" _But_ , _how the hell did Natsu get a wizard saint for a teammate?_

Happy shook his head, "You guys are hopeless."

"Speak," Lucy said making the two of them look at her and preventing them from getting into a fight, "I sensed one of you trying to use your magic on us. So, talk because I really don't want to have to hurt you"

Gray sweat-dropped, "Her and Erza would get along great"

"Aye" Happy said, agreeing.

"W-we're not telling you anything!" the one who was about to use his magic before he got caught yelled.

She narrowed her eyes, " Fine, I didn't want to do this but" she ignited her hand, "improvised move: Celestial Interrogation technique! Flaming demon…. shin kick!" Lucy went up to the mage who spoke and kicked him in the knee with her foot. Howls of pain were heard from the mage now realizing he has what is most likely a broken knee.

 _"Ooops, I forgot to hold back my strength"_ Lucy thinks.

"That's her interrogation technique?" Gray says skeptical, rubbing his own knee in sympathy of the mage.

"She said it was improvised". Happy tried defending, looking back to his teammate.

"Yeah, you go Luce!" Natsu yells, "I should create a move like that too" he says aloud.

"How about now?" Lucy questions.

"O-okay!" another man speaks not wanting to endure what his friend has, "We were in the forest for a while now and got hungry! When we were looking around, we found you guys and saw the blue cat and decided to take from you, so we could eat it!" the man finishes noticing the heat from the rope was finally lowering.

Happy shivered, "Y-you were trying to eat me…?"

Natsu growled, "Bastards!"

"So, you were trying to attack us huh? Bad move." Gray glared.

Lucy nodded, "I agree with Gray." Just then she noticed a shadow come creeping up and jumped back near the others.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" Natsu asked.

"Stay back, don't go near them." She warned, her demon powers alerting her of the threat.

They were confused of what she meant until they saw what looked like a shadow of a hand go towards the five mages. One of them shivering in fear had turned towards them, shouting what seemed like a warning "L-lullaby! Beware of Lullaby!"

Gray raised a brow, "Lullaby?"

"What's that?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy bit her thumb, having been taught about these demons from Luce before he disappeared knew exactly what he meant, "Shit, Lullaby…"

The shadow formed into a giant hand grabbing from underneath them and made them go underground disappearing in the process.

"What the hell…?" Gray said.

"Who was that?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy went back to normal, "Whoever it was they're fast. I can't sense their presence anymore." Trying to sense the mage or source where the shadow went but coming up with nothing.

"But…what could this mean?" Natsu questioned looking at his partner who seemed to be thinking about something which for her seemed off to him.

"Lullaby…" she repeated.

Natsu had to ask her, "Do you know what he was talking about Lucy?"

She turned away from Natsu, "Hmm, and it's not good."

"Hey wait up Lucy!" Natsu followed trying to catch up to her with Happy and Gray following them.

Lucy was too caught up in her thoughts to acknowledge the fact that they were following right after her.

Lullaby, one of demons created by the dark mage Zeref. _Loke, Aquarius…Something's about to happen isn't it._

For a moment Lucy heard nothing from her two most trusted spirits, thinking perhaps they were busy until she heard them speak up.

 _We believe so Princess._

 _What do you think brat?_

* * *

Once they got to the guild Lucy forgot about Lullaby for a moment and immediately went to greet Mira causing a few guild mates to laugh at the newest members antics.

"I'm back Mira!" Lucy yells. Sitting down at the bar with a smile towards the barmaid. Seeing Lucy's face Mira couldn't help but let out a giggle. _For such a powerful wizard she's like a puppy._

"I see that Lucy, and how was the mission with Natsu and Happy?" Mira asks setting down as strawberry milkshake that she's learned is Lucy's favorite drink.

Taking a sip before answering Lucy grins, "Awesome, not only did we help the client make amends with his dead dad, but I got myself a gold key" showing off her newest spirit.

"Well congratulations Lucy, I'm happy for you" sending a smile her way before going off to serve others.

"Thanks Mira!" Lucy shouts before grabbing her shake to head to the table with Natsu and Happy who were happily eating fish.

However once seated she started to think about what happened back in the woods. That shadow coming out of nowhere and taking those mages then disappearing just like that. The most annoying part was the warning he gave them.

"L-lullaby! Beware of Lullaby!"

She sighed taking a sip of her drink, "Man, so much work and I've barely been here two days…I wonder if this is how that little bluenette guild is?"

" _Probably not, Cait Shelter seemed a bit smaller and far more relaxed." Loke says._

Natsu saw his partner was in deep thought about something that was making her give a weird face, like she was thinking a bit too hard for herself, which he didn't like at all.

He poked her side, "Yo Luce, you okay?"

She grabbed his hand setting it down on the table, "What is it Natsu? I was thinking about something."

"Did that hurt?" Happy grinned.

"Why you, stupid cat" Lucy growled, not needing to be told by anyone that Happy was insulting her intelligence.

"Aww. Come-on we just were checking up on ya Luce, you were zoned out for a while" Natsu whined. "And to be honest, you were giving a weird face. It was kind a creeping me out".

"Tsk. I was just thinking, no worries" Lucy said. Both teammates looked to each other before grinning "Alright weirdo!" She then took that as her cue to get up from the table and go over to the request board.

"Better start looking for a job before I get too bored." She mumbled standing next to a man who seems to always be by the board.

Mira came up and smiled at her, "Let me know if you find one, you're interested in taking on. The master's away at a conference so I'm covering for him."

"Conference?" Lucy questioned.

Mira nodded, "It's one for guild masters. Occasionally, they all get together to talk about the state of things."

Lucy shrugged still not used to the happenings around here and went back to looking at the board.

"Did you find a job for us yet Lucy?" Natsu asked standing next to her.

Lucy merely grunted "I was thinking I go solo this time." Already noticing a nice high paying job for taking down bandits in a faraway village.

Natsu smiled, "Don't be ridiculous. We're a team now, aren't we? And that means we stick together."

"Yeah! We picked the job last time, so it's your turn to pick." Happy said sitting on her shoulder.

She rubbed her chin signifying she was thinking about something, " So as a team, this means every job I take...it will involve you and Happy?"

He slung his arm around her, "Yup that about sums it up." Smiling at the blonde-haired wizard saint "Besides, It's much more fun when we're together right?"

Happy nodded, "Right!"

She gave a toothy grin in agreement. "Aye!"

"Hey Lucy, I wouldn't stay with those losers if I were you. You'll get plenty of offers from other teams." Gray said from his place at Cana's table, having seen her power up close.

"Thanks, but no thanks Gray. As a celestial mage I'm duty bound to my word and I promised Natsu I'd be part of his team and I _NEVER_ break my promises" Lucy says, eyes darkening for a moment before brightening back up and giving a toothy grin. "Besides we slayers need to stick together, right Natsu!"

"Yeah, Jerk!" Natsu yelled happy by the declaration of his teammate.

The entire guild was silent by Lucy's speech. Some sadden they couldn't pick her off for their own team and that Natsu had already called dibs. Just being known for having a wizard saint on your team would make you popular, but of course everyone knew that's not why Natsu picked Lucy. No, Lucy and Natsu were like two peas in a pod even after only having known each other for a few days.

"The similarities between Lucy and Natsu are uncanny" Cana whispered to Levy.

"I know. They eat the same, talk the same, heck Gray told me that Lucy came up with some improvised move while dealing with some bandits and Natsu immediately wanted to do the same thing" Levy giggles, "They're already best friends".

"I guess Slayers really do stick together" Mira smiled.

Gray got in his face and glared, "Did you just call me a jerk, dragon boy?"

"Maybe I did, what are you gonna do about it?" Natsu glared right back, waiting for retaliation.

"You mouth breather!" Gray yelled.

"At least I'm not a coward." Natsu yelled back.

Happy sighed, "Looks like they're at it again."

"Looks that way." Lucy said turning away towards the bar to get something to eat.

Just then Max came bursting through the guild doors with a terrified look on his face.

"I've got bad news! It's Erza! She's on her way here!" he yelled.

Everyone had a different reaction from terrified to horrified or just plain scared out of their minds at the mention of Erza.

Natsu and Gray were paralyzed with fear, both stopping their fight mid-punch.

"Amazing, just the mention of her name and everyone freaks out. " Lucy watched with a raised eyebrow as everyone in the guild immediately stopped fighting, arguing, or drinking and made themselves look as presentable as possible.

" Remind me again who Erza is" She asked Mira complete forgetting what Natsu and Gray told her.

"You don't know who Erza is," The bartender asked shocked. "Erza Scarlet, contender for strongest women of Fairy Tail?" The barmaid explained, hoping that would clear things up for the blonde... it didn't by the blank expression she was getting. She then paused looking at the blonde in front of her who began fighting with Happy over the last piece of chicken on her plate, remembering she was a Wizard Saint " _Well second strongest if I count you, but Erza may have you beat if we consider intelligence as a factor._

Lucy smiled when she got the last piece from Happy, "AHAHa, take that ya stupid cat."

Mira giggled. _Yup_ , _She has you beat, Lucy._

Once Lucy ate the chicken, she won from Happy she shook her head. "I've traveled my entire life in the West, so I know virtually nothing about you guys. All I know is what Loke told me." She muttered as she turned to the door.

A teenage girl with long red hair, wearing armor kicked the door open and walked in, carrying a huge horn on her shoulder. Lucy watched as she looked around and people cringed whenever her gaze landed on them.

"She's beautiful" the blonde announced unaware half the guild had heard her, some shocked at the blonde's bold declaration and others choosing to ignore the newbie.

"I'm back." Erza announced. "Is Master present at the moment?"

"He's at a meeting." Mira told the armor-clad woman while trying to hold back her smile from hearing Lucy's bold words.

"Erza." Warren interrupted. "What is that huge thing?"

Erza glanced at the horn. "Oh, this? It's a horn from the demon I defeated. The villagers were so grateful that they decorated it and gave it to me as a souvenir." Erza's gaze snapped back to him. "Is that a problem?"

"N-no! Of course not!" The terrified man choked out.

"She's so assertive. I want her." Lucy said, slamming her drink down thinking no one could hear her, unbeknownst to her a dragon slayer and barmaid who was right next to her heard everything and were holding in their laughter. " _She's the perfect mate, wouldn't you say Loke?"_

 _I mean you said that about Mira, but go off, I guess. Loke says._

Lucy observed the irate scarlet haired woman tearing into every guildmember, finding the woman in front of her even more attractive then she first saw her. "She's really tearing into them" Lucy says dreamily.

"Cana sit up when you drink" the drunkard sat up.

Vijeeter, go dance outside" immediately he stopped.

"That's Erza for ya." Happy said from her shoulder.

* * *

" I don't see why everyone's so afraid of her" Lucy said, "She's just bossy. When she becomes my mate, I'll help her become more relaxed" smiling at the scarlet mage.

"I thought Mira was your mate?" Happy asks, not even questioning Lucy's weird mate thing.

"Yeah, I thought so too, but now my whole body is just calling out for Erza." Lucy explains to the blue cat on her shoulder.

"Huh, have you told Mira?" Happy says jokingly.

Gasping Lucy looks to the cat, shaking her head realizing that she has not told the barmaid she will no longer be pursuing her. "Oh man I haven't thanks for reminding me Happy!"

"I was joking." Happy thinks, shaking his head.

* * *

"Mira, I'm sorry but I'm no longer pursuing you for a mate" Lucy says point blank. _No use in dragging it out._

Cover up her smile Mira decides to humor the blonde, "Oh my. Well what a shame, and here I was already thinking of names for our future children I planned on having with you. Well thank you Lucy I appreciate you telling me and while I will be heartbroken for a while, I'll learn to get over you and love again one day".

Kissing the barmaid on the cheek Lucy smiles, "I'm glad to hear it, now I can pursue Erza without any guilt" turning to walk off not seeing Mira red face holding her cheek over the girl's actions. _She's really bold, Mira thinks._

Walking back to her spot at the bar with Happy Lucy begins to come up with a plan to win over Erza Scarlet.

"I've broken up with Mirajane, she was heartbroken, but she will survive" Lucy says oblivious to the barmaids' sarcasm.

"Wow, you really did it huh. So what's next?" Happy asked.

"Now I need your help Happy. I need to know how to ask out Erza Scarlet." Lucy smiled thinking her close companion would be helpful in her endeavors to getting close with Erza. _Your_ _Mate, a voice in her head corrected._

"You go up to her and say I wanna go out with you Erza" Happy said laughing thinking he would get to embarrass his friend.

"Of course, such a simple and logical solution, thanks Happy. Erza will be mine in no time" Lucy says smiling pumping up her fist.

"Good luck, you'll need it" Happy laughed.

* * *

"Hey you scarlet!" Lucy shouts from the bar, attracting not just the knight, but the entire guild.

"Uh, Lucy maybe you should talk to Erza in private about whatever it is you want" Mira says already knowing what she wants to discuss, having heard similar words not too long ago, and trying to prevent any embarrassment from forming to the new guild member. _This girl doesn't wait long to move on,_ Mira thinks.

"No, I want to talk to her now." Lucy says, her inner demon calling out for the armored cover girl.

"Wow, I didn't think she'd take me serious" Happy said laughing.

A look of confusion graced Erza's features, until a smile formed. "Oh, are you a new member? It's nice to meet you."

Loke looks to the usual stoic demon slayer from the spirit world only to see her holding in a blush, "Oh ho, ho, what's this" the lion says, "Lucy finally wants a romance, interesting."

"No, it's not, you dumb cat" Aquarius says also seeing what Loke is through the spirit world mirror,

"Oh, and why's that" he says thinking the mermaid was just being a kill joy.

Smacking her face, the mermaid explains "Because Lucy has had little too, no human interaction besides taking down dark guilds. "This is literally going to be a repeat of Mirajane" rubbing her temples Aquarius continues "I can't watch this; how could Lucifer never give tips on dating besides be assertive. Tch dumb demon, surprised he remembered to explain what mating was."

"Oh Mavis" Loke says, just now realizing what is about to happen.

"Oh, Mavis is right".

Looking to their master they watch the train wreck currently at play.

"Yeah, I'm new, and I want you to be my mate" Not noticing all the jaws dropping in the guild or laughter start up Lucy continues, "You're beautiful, assertive, and strong which I find very attractive, so what do you say?" Lucy says with her signature grin.

"Oh man, not this again" Cana says, trying to hold back laughter.

"Lucy really likes strong woman doesn't she" Levy giggles.

Now cherry faced, Erza looks at her new guild mate confused at what's happening. Continuing with her speech, Lucy pulls out a bracelet Lucifer gave her for when she finally found "the one". "This is for you, it's to show I've started my claim on you. That way if anyone else tries to court you they'll know I've already got first dibs" the demon slayer says as she puts an intricate bracelet on the frozen knight. "Don't' worry this is just the first part of my claiming".

"Did the new girl just really claim Titania, so easily." A guild mate whisper.

"Holy shit she did!" Alzack yells, as he watches Lucy put the bracelet on Erza. "Go Lucy!"

"whoa, whoa, wait up I'm sorry Lucy, but you can't just come up here, and claim someone without their permission?" Gray says, as he goes to take the bracelet off Erza, until a wall of flame stops him.

"Hey what gives?!" the ice mage yells putting ice on his burning hand.

"Mine" a feral looking Lucy says.

No more than five seconds does the missing playboy of Fairy Tail decide to show up to explain what's going on. "LOKE! Where the hell have you been, we've been looking all over for you" Gray yells punching the lion spirit, completely forgetting about Erza being claimed now.

"I've been with Lucy, she saved me when I was dying" Loke explains.

"That doesn't explain-

Interrupting the ice mage, Lucy explains "Loke was dying while being here in the human world and I only saved him after a talk with Stache face.

"She means the Spirit king" Loke interrupts.

"So really if Loke hadn't left he wouldn't even be here right now" Lucy says while staring shamelessly at Erza who couldn't stop looking at the bracelet on her wrist which now stated she was claimed.

"WHAT?" just about every guild member yells.

Sighing at the subtleness of his master Loke explains to his former guild mates. "I'm a celestial spirit and Lucy is my mast-

"Friend" Lucy objects.

"Lucy is my friend, true, but also my contractor. Without her I'd probably, as she said, be dead", taking off his signature blue glasses, "I was on Earthland for three years suffering before Lucy found me and within a minute of interacting with each other she somehow detected I was a spirit and fought to get me back to my normal state."

"So, this whole time you've been missing you were with Luce?" Natsu asks also slightly angered but relieved he was safe this whole time.

"Yup, Lucy is the best master any spirit could ever ask for. And I'm glad she found me all those years ago" Loke says smiling at his master who is still checking out Erza to his and half the guilds amusement.

"Dude you could've written a letter" Gray says.

"We were in Alvarez Gray, a lot of the times we were destroying dark guilds, resting then destroying more dark guilds. Where would I have had the time to write a letter?" Loke asks rhetorically.

Rolling his eyes, Gray decides to drop the subject and move on to more important matters.

"Look it's great that you're back, but what the hell was that wall of fire about, that weirdo can't just claim Erza as her mate, stick a bracelet on her and place first dibs on her" Gray yells at the absurd notion.

"Ye-yes, I agree" Erza stutters, finally able to speak once she gains her bearings.

"Technically she can." Before anyone can protest Loke hurries to explain. "Lucy's inner demon has chosen Erza as her mate, that bracelet just shows that she has staked her claim. Really, this is only the beginning of the claiming process. There are other steps to the mating process which will be discussed further with Erza once she accepts Lucy's offer. But be warned Gray, if you were to even touch that bracelet on Erza, Lucy would been inclined to attack you for trying to go after her mate" Loke says.

"So basically, Erza Scarlet is off the market, a drunk Cana says holding in her laughter.

 _I swear, Lucy you are a handful sometimes,_ Loke thinks smiling. "In a way" the spirit says shrugging.

"But Loke, I didn't pay anything for her, then again if I'm right she's most likely worth more than anything I can afford." Lucy says still standing in front of her mate protectively. "A woman like her would be priceless" not noticing the blushing mess behind her the demon slayer looks to her spirit who is mildly impressed by his master's suave words.

"Loke come, if Erza of Fairy Tail is on the market than we must go on a job to gain enough jewels to purchase her hand" Lucy declares garnering laughter.

"No, Lucy that's not how things work." The spirit tries to explain.

"No, no, let her go" a giant mermaid says popping up to witness first-hand what is happening, and smiling at the events unfolding, "Lucy wants to do things right, so come on Loke, let her".

"BUT THIS ISN'T HOW YOU DO THINGS AT ALL" Gray yells.

"Really?" Natsu asks, writing down everything he sees Lucy do. _Lucy is kind of like me, so we obviously must be the same when it comes to mates,_ Natsu thinks as he watches Lucy claim Erza.

* * *

"Enough!" taking a deep breath Erza decides to put whatever the hell is happening to her on the back burner in lieu of the current dilemma she was hoping to take care of.

"Natsu, Gray I need you to do me a favor." Erza asked when everyone was done with greeting Loke back from the dead and trying to forget she was just claimed.

"Huh?" they said surprised she needed them for help.

"While traveling I overheard something that has me worried," she started, "Normally I would consult with the master before acting but he's not here and this is a matter of upmost urgency. The two of you are the strongest wizards here. I could really use your help." She asked.

* * *

"Actually, Lucy is" someone whispered, however not wanting to feel the wrath of Erza made sure she didn't hear them correct her.

"Yeah, she's a wizard Saint." Another one said, this one also whispering in fear of any type of punishment that would be dealt because they spoke back to Erza.

"Aye, Erza." Natsu choked out, breaking his pencil. "I'll definitely help you out."

"Same here!" Gray added.

Lucy blinked. "When did Natsu become like Happy?"

"Excellent we leave tomorrow morning" Erza nodded.

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Natsu's unusually timid."

"Both Natsu and Gray are scared of Erza." Mira clarified. "Natsu picked a fight with her once and got beaten up. And the same happened to Gray when she caught him walking around naked. Loke tried to hit on her once and she nearly killed him."

"Is that true Loke" the demon slayer growls.

"Ye-yes, but that was then and now, I am over her, I have no intention of ever being with her, I swear!" the spirit says trying to calm his master.

"Hmm, alright then, thank you for your honesty Loke" the blonde says smiling, doing a total 180 with her attitude the guild notices.

"She's kind of weird, don't ya think" someone mutters"

"Only when it comes to Erza" Cana laughs, "I like her!"

"Hold Up Erza, I got two conditions if I'm coming with ya! " Natsu declares.

"Are you crazy flame dick!"

"Oh, all right then. Name your conditions" Erza says casually.

"First off, I wanna fight when we get back! I've grown stronger and I'm gonna prove it".

"Yes, I can tell you have grown stronger. Alright then once the mission is over we will fight. And your second condition?"

"We gotta take Lucy with us!"

"What why?" Erza says nervous about taking the new guild member who has tried declaring her, the girls' mate.

"Because! she's my partner, and where I go, she goes!" Natsu says smiling, "Right Luce" not noticing the Knight mage look for someone to object.

"He is correct. As team mates if one of us goes on a job, then we all go on a job" Lucy says nodding her head sagely, repeating Natsu's words. "Also, I must protect my mate, so it only makes sense I go with you Scarlet."

"Ack, did she say what I think she said" Mira says enjoying the spectacle that is Lucy claiming Erza. _This is better than when she tried claiming me._

"Oh yes, she did" Cana says taking bets on whether Erza is going to beat the crap out of Lucy now or later.

 _Just breath Scarlet,_ Erza says to herself. "I'm going to ignore that and allow you on our mission.

"Perfect." Lucy grinned, happy to already be joining her mate on a mission.

"Come on Luce! Let's go pack our bags, this is gonna be awesome." Natsu says oblivious to what transpired in the guild. Preparing to run out with the blonde in tow to leave and pack their necessities.

"We're leaving tomorrow!" Erza tells Natsu, Gray and Lucy, already heading out the guild and ignoring any halfhearted protests. "Make sure you're prepared. I'll give you the details later."

As the four left the guild went in uproar, with most of the members scared and muttering about what could possibly be dangerous enough that Erza needed the two boys and the newly joined Demon Slayer/ Celestial mage.

Cana frowned when she saw Mira trembling. "What's wrong?"

"Erza, Natsu and Gray..." Mira muttered. "They were already the strongest... but with Lucy being a Wizard Saint and all I never imagined this, but... this maybe the strongest team Fairy Tail has ever had..."

* * *

Natsu and Lucy groaned, holding their stomachs and leaking drool as they stared out of the train window, totally out of it.

Gray sighed. "You two are so pathetic. You said you were coming to protect Erza, yet you can't even handle a moving train and you Natsu- why didn't you just choose to run next to the train if this was going to happen?"

"I'm gonna- gulp- get you" Lucy says trying to hold in her vomit.

"Just watch- gulp- once we're off this vehicle of hell-gulp- your ass is grass" Natsu adds.

Erza sighed. "I guess there's no other way. Come here"

Eyes shining Lucy goes to switch places with Natsu, until she realizes the Scarlet hair mage meant Natsu. The girl watched as Erza gave the sick boy a tender smile, jealousy pooling in her stomach, before slamming a fist in his stomach, knocking him out and laying him on her lap.

"There." She said, satisfied. "That should ease him up a little."

"Oh, that must've hurt" Lucy says a bit happy that she didn't have to deal with that. Looking to the scarlet haired mage Lucy asks a question she's been meaning to ask since she first met her.

"Mate, what kind of magic do you use?"

"An excellent question Lucy." Erza replied trying to ignore the fact she was just called mate.

"Erza's magic is awesome! She makes her opponents bleed a lot!" Happy exclaimed, Lucy nodding along with his excitement. _Wow blood magic, that's rare!_

"Personally, I find Gray's magic to be more impressive than my own." Erza said with a smile, Gray mirroring her expression.

"You mean something like this?" he said as he placed a closed fist over the other hand, a faint cool mist emanating from underneath his closed fist. A second later Gray removed his hand to reveal a piece of ice carved into the shape of the Fairy Tail emblem, now floating above his hand. "I use Ice make magic."

"I see…is that-mmprh-why you fight with Natsu so often? Because… he wields fire and you wield ice?"

"Hmm, I never considered that." Erza commented.

"Nah, I just hate his guts." Gray denied with a wave of his hand.

"Prett-mmphrg-ty" covering her mouth Lucy turns away feeling a wave of nauseous-ness.

"Not to worry, Lucy," seeing a mischievous look in the older girls' eye, the demon slayer looks for an exit, until she realizes she can barely move "I have just the remedy for you too", slamming a fist in her stomach too.

"Ouch" Lucy says trying to hold in the vomit she was already holding in, "that hurt mate".

"What the hell?" Gray shouts "How the hell did you not pass out!"

"It will take more than a sucker punch from my beloved to take me out" Lucy smiles before sticking her head out the window." _Luce threw sucker punches that would knock me out for days, hits from you are like love taps._

Slapping her face, Erza ignores the blonde's words, slightly impressed by her strength but also choosing to listen to Gray when he speaks.

"Moving on, So what's up, Erza?" Gray asked. "You can handle anything thrown your way, so why ask Natsu and me for help? What happened?"

Erza nodded, thankful for the change in subject. "I was on my way back from a mission when I stopped at a bar in Onibas with a reputation of being a wizard hangout. Some guys in there caught my attention when they started talking about a flute called Lullaby and about the seal on it that prevented usage. Then a guy they called Kageyama said that he can take care of it and to let someone called Erigor know that he'll return in three days. I didn't understand at first and I put it out of my mind until I remembered who Erigor was."

"And who was that Erza?" Happy asked.

Erza scowled. "The ace of the Dark guild Eisenwald, Shinigami Erigor. He got that name because he keeps accepting assassination requests. They broke away from the League when the Council forbade assassination missions, because they preferred earning money to respecting the law. Despite their master getting arrested, Eisenwald continued to ignore the law."

"Lullaby?" Lucy muttered, still nauseas but trying to listen to the scarlet mage.

"Yes, and those guys have a hold of this Lullaby thing and are up to something." Erza continued explaining as the train stopped and they got off. "I decided that we simply cannot overlook the matter."

"I-I know what" … "Hey, Natsu where'd everyone go?" Lucy says looking to locate her guild mates.

"Mmprh- I don't-gulp- know."

* * *

As the mages walked off the train Erza explained her plan. "The plan is simple. We march into Eisenwald!"

"That's good and all but we have a problem." Gray said after realizing their mistake. " Lucy and Natsu are missing."


	6. Lucy's mate and Lullaby part 2

A man stared down at a wheezing Natsu. "Mind if I sit here?" He indicated the vacant seat next to Natsu, plopping down without waiting for an answer.

"You two seem to be in pain." The stranger observed. "Are you feeling alright?" He smiled when he noticed the guild mark on the two slumped over mages shoulder.

"A normal guild, huh? Fairy Tail..." Kageyama leaned forward. "I envy you."

* * *

"How could I have done something like that?" Erza moaned. "I was so focused on explaining the situation that I forgot all about Natsu and Lucy! And they can't handle moving vehicles either. Someone hit me now!"

"No way" the wizard and cat yell,

The group followed her as she walked back into the station and pulled the emergency stop lever. Gray sighed as the station staff ran around them, trying to regain control of the situation. "Oh man, this is not good."

Happy looked to his naked friend.

"Where are your clothes?"

* * *

"Speaking of Fairy Tail, Mirajane's famous, isn't she?" Kageyama continued the one-sided conversation. "I hear she appears in magazines sometimes, and she's beautiful. She's still young, so I'm not sure why she retired so early."

Lucy groaned, "I have no idea if Mirajane is famous, I just joined you idiot, Natsu might though" trying to be helpful.

Ignoring the salmon haired mage on the side he continues "And then there's Erza Scarlet. She's pretty cute too." Kageyama added. "By any chance, are the two of you friends?" "All the cute girls go to the regular guilds." Kage mused. "Like I said, I envy you. There're no girls in my guild, so maybe you could share some of yours. That's what I'd like to say, at least.

Fire pooled in Lucy's stomach as she heard the mage in front of her talk about Erza like that, "grrrr"

Kageyama grinned as he kicked Lucy in the face. "Don't ignore me. That kind of attitude is demeaning to us Dark guild members!"

The man smirked when he noticed Natsu regain his bearings and glared furiously at him. "You're gonna regret that"

"Oh, so you're talking now." He observed smugly. "You see, Fairy Tail has been getting way too much attention lately. Stuck up people like that tend to really piss me off." He leaned forward. "You know what we call Fairy Tail? To us, you're just annoying flies that need to be swatted." He clapped Lucy on the head to demonstrate.

Lucy shot up and screamed, igniting her fists. "Knock it ooofff-mmmppph."

Kageyama burst out laughing. "What kind of magic is that?" A shadowy hand shout out of the floor nail Lucy in the face, sending her flying back. "That's how you use magic."

Kage's pack fell off the seat as the vehicle came to a screeching halt. "What the... it stopped?" Kageyama exclaimed, looking out the window.

Natsu glanced at a weird flute with a three-eyed skull at one end. Kageyama noticed that and paled. "You... you saw it!"

"I owe you for Lucy." lighting up his hand. "So here you go!" He punched Kage, knocking him down and sending him crashing down the aisle.

"That's how a fly can punch." Natsu told him hurrying to check on Lucy who was getting up slowly.

"We have confirmed that the emergency stop was due to a false alarm." A voice announced over the loudspeaker. "We will resume travel shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"Why was I the one he kept hitting." Lucy muttered coming up from where she landed. Noticing the train was stopped Lucy grabbed Natsu "We'd better get out of here Natsu.

Ignoring Kage's ranting about fighting and Eisenwald, Lucy and Natsu gathered up their luggage and leapt out the window. Unfortunately, the train had already started moving by that point, so wind pressure ended up pushing them several meters back straight into Gray, who was on the roof of Erza's magical four-wheeler. Happy laughed as the two partners tumbled backwards off the vehicle.

* * *

"Hey, what were you two idiots doing still on the train?" Gray yelled at the two idiot slayers.

"We felt like taking an extended vacation." Lucy deadpanned. "

Lucy turned away from Gray and scowled when Erza, and Happy approached her and Natsu. "Oi, how could you leave us behind like that?"

"I apologize." Erza stated solemnly.

Happy nodded. "Yeah, what Erza said."

"I'm relieved to see you're safe." Erza added, smashing Lucy's and Natsu's head against her armor in a hug.

"Safe! Are you kidding me I got kicked in the face by some weirdo ponytailed guy" Lucy said into the armor. Natsu was the same " Yeah! Some guy picked a fight with Luce and I on the train! Who was it again Luce? Eisenwald or something?"

"Nah, I think it was Eisenbald?"

"You idiots!" Erza slapped him and Lucy. Although Lucy was pretty sure she got slapped a little harder than Natsu. "It's Eisenwald and that's who we're after!"

"Well how the hell were we supposed to know!" Lucy answers back rubbing her sore face.

"I explained on the train how important it was we get to them!" Erza argued. "Why didn't you listen to what I was telling you?"

"Do you not remember, knocking Natsu out and punching me, putting me in more pain then I already was, then forgetting us." Lucy yelled.

Erza growled "What did he look like" not wanting to admit she was right.

Natsu frowned. "Nothing special. He carried a flute with a three-eyed skull on one end"

Erza grasped him by the collar. "Are you serious?" shaking the dragon slayer, in anger "That was Lullaby!"

" Oh hey, I remember now! Rumors say that whoever plays a tune on that flute will kill everyone who hears it. In other words, it's a mass murder curse." Lucy says, smiling. High fiving Natsu for remembering such a thing.

Slapping her face, the knight mage groans in annoyance at the two slayers. _How are they so alike?_

* * *

"Erigor-sama, we have complete control of the train!" An Eisenwald mage reported.

"Excellent." A tall man with long white hair chuckled, holding up Lullaby. "With this, the mass-murder curse magic, we are all set. Let the show begin!"

* * *

"We're here." Erza announced as the magic vehicle stopped in front of Oshibana station. "This is where the hijacked train stopped."

"Are you okay Erza, you drove that pretty fast?' Gray asked worried she might've drained a bit too much magic.

"I'm fine. Let's worry more about the mission" she said waving off the bit of fatigue she felt.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please stay back." A train station worker shouted through a megaphone. "A train was derailed in an accident, so no one is allowed in. Until we have the situation under control, the station is closed to the public."

"Let's go." Erza commanded, pushing through the crowd. Natsu and Lucy moaned.

Gray gritted his teeth. "I swear to Mavis, if you don't stop treating me like transportation, I'll freeze you where you stand".

"Happy, why aren't you helping me" Natsu moans.

"I didn't know I was supposed to" the cat snickers.

"Loke, why aren't you helping me?" Lucy groans. _Sorry Lucy but I'm on a date, Loke answers._

Erza approaches a station employee. "What's going on?"

"Who are you?" The man asked.

Erza slammed a knee into his groin and the girl moved on.

"What's going on?" only waiting only a few seconds for a reply before she did something.

"I, um..."

Erza headbutted him and they moved on like a broken record repeating the same question over and over to each guard until one answered.

"What's going on?"

"Help me!"

The knight kicked the man into a wall and moved to the next one.

"She's so majestic" the demon slayer/Celestial mage says from where she's leaning to steady herself.

Natsu and Gray stare at the girl bewildered, their only thought being _"Are we looking at the same Erza!"_

"What's going on?"

"A military platoon went in, but they haven't returned yet!" The man shouted in fear. "The terrorists from Eisenwald didn't leave either! Most probably there's still fighting going on in there."

Erza nodded and the party of four (plus Happy) walked into the building. On the stairs, Erza sighed at the view before her.

"They've been defeated." She remarked, staring at the unconscious forms of the soldiers. "The opponent is a guild full of mages. Those guys wouldn't have stood a chance."

"I knew you'd come." A voice resounded as soon as they stepped on the platform. "Fairy Tail wizards. I've been waiting for you."

"Why?" Lucy asks lying on the floor.

"What?" Erigor says surprised by the question.

"I said why were you waiting for us, surely you knew it'd be easier to get whatever you needed to by just going ahead and doing it, so why wait, unless you're being dramatic?" Lucy says still getting over her nauseous fatigue where she was lying.

Stunned the assassin is silent as well as the rest of the dark guild the only sound being Natsu laughing at Lucy's observation. "That's my Luce, asking the hard-hitting questions."

Erza slapped her face at her guild members outburst then went back to glaring at the speaker. "I take it you must be Erigor, right?"

"You fly." Kageyama snarled, rubbing a mark on his neck. "It's because of you..."

"Calm down, Kage." A man behind Kageyama advised him.

Lucy got up. "Wait a minute... that voice..."

"You! What is your plan?" Erza demanded. "Depending on your answer, I might have to make you pay!"

Erigor shrugged. "Nothing really. We have no job and we're kind a bored, so we just want to fool around a bit."

He smirked and stood up. "Don't you understand what they have in a train station?" He asked, starting to levitate. The Fairy Tail mages watched as he flew up to the large megaphones and understanding dawned on them.

"You're going to broadcast Lullaby?" Erza exclaimed. Erigor burst out laughing. "There are hundreds... no, thousands of curious people gathering around this station right now. If we broadcast it loud enough, maybe even the entire town will hear it!"

"Murderer!" Erza spat.

"We are simply cleaning up. Those fools who live their lives enjoying their rights are unaware that there are people who have lost those same rights. Living a life oblivious to the unfairness of the world is a sin." Erigor grinned. "And so, the Shinigami has come to punish them. A punishment called death."

"That's dumb." Lucy said flippantly. "If you do something that stupid, your rights will forever remain out of your reach."

"It's not about the rights anymore." Erigor countered starting to get angry at the blondes' comments. "Now that we got this far, it's the power we're interested in. If we have the power and authority, we can simply erase the past and control the future."

"What a pity that you little flies will die before seeing the new world we'll create!" Kage shouted, sending a shadow arm towards Natsu.

"I knew I recognized that voice!" Lucy shouted, smashing the shadowy limb that hit her back on the train to pieces with one of her celestial demon punches.

Kageyama growled. "Why, you..."

Erigor grinned and flew up higher.

"I'll leave the rest to you." Erigor told the guild. "While I go play the flute, you guys let those flies feel the power of Eisenwald's darkness." With these words, he crashed into a window and flew out of the station.

Erza rounded on her team. "Natsu, Gray! You two go after him!"

Both boys stared at her. "Huh?"

"If you guys work together, there's no way you'll lose to him!" Erza told them. Now go! Lucy and I can handle things here!"

The two boys nodded and sped out of the room. "Leave them to me." One of the Eisenwald members ordered. "I'll get them!"

"I'll take the salmon head!" Kageyama shouted, vanishing into his shadow. _I wanted to take on the blondie, but he'll do._

A roundish member of Eisenwald frowned as he observed the two girls. _The blond one... uses celestial fire?... could it be?_

"Are you ready Lucy". Erza grinned, taking out her sword.

Lucy summoned Loke and Scorpio "Of course Erza, I already told you I will do what I must to protect you", looking to the dark guild members with a vicious smile Lucy crouches "Loke, Scorpio, would you mind helping me rid of these thugs?"

" _She also uses spirits! It's definitely her!"_ the mage thought starting to sweat at who they were about to fight.

"We are!"

"Of course, Princess"

"Very Well, now then you people seem to be bothering my love and because of that I will be taking you out" Lucy says taking a step forward as she lights her fist up

"Ack, You-don't really need to protect me you know" Erza says sweat dropping," I'm a S-class mage".

"Oh, like a wizard saint! I knew I chose a strong mate" Lucy says smiling.

"Wait a second you guys, the blonde hair, white cloak, celestial flames, that has to be her!" a guild member yelled.

"Who", another Eisenwald thug yells.

"THE ISHGAR DEMON!"

"No way, I never signed up to fight her" another thug yelled, trying to run away before getting slammed with Loke's regulus.

"Oh, so you know of me. Excellent then you now that wherever I go people learn why being bandits is a bad idea" Lucy says laughing.

 _Ishgar Demon? No way, Lucy Is the one responsible for destroying all those dark guilds in Alvarez,_ Erza thinks looking at the blonde who has taken on a slightly devilish look.

"FLAMING STAR DEMON WRATH!" a raging inferno of golden flames erupts from the thin blondes' mouth. Within minutes of Lucy fighting alongside her spirits over half the guild is knocked out. With a satisfied demon slayer slightly out of breath, Lucy walks up to Erza, who is surprised that her guild mate has turned out to be the infamous Ishgar Demon.

"So, you're the mage who for three years kept the West free of any bandit guilds?" Erza asks impressed at such a feat.

"If I say yes, will you be my mate?" Lucy says grinning.

"No." Erza deadpans. _Nevertheless, the amount of power Lucy is said to have… amazing._ Erza thinks.

Requiping into her heavenly armor Erza prepares herself to send swords towards the remaining members, defeating the rest of the guild.

Erza frowned when she saw one of the mages running away. "Go after him, Lucy. He might be heading to Erigor."

Lucy nodded. "Right, whatever you say. Come Happy you can help too!"

"Aye sir"

Looking to her spirits before she leaves, they nod understanding her request.

* * *

"Phew." Erza panted, sitting down. "Driving that magical four-wheeler drained me more than I realized. I'll have to leave the rest to the others."

Erza laid back and stared at the ceiling for a moment, before Loke interrupted her train of thought.

"Do you think there would ever be a chance you might consider returning Lucy's feelings" the usual playful lion, says serious.

"I, uh, I don't know." Erza says caught off guard, "I mean she's very sweet, and strong, but being someone's mate, looking away Erza continues "Natsu explained to me what that means, and I don't know if I could handle it", pausing in contemplation," There's also the fact we've just met, Loke".

Humming Loke nods his head in understanding.

"Why me?"

"Beats me, you're the first-person Lucy has showed any romantic interest in since she's turned old enough to even start understanding what romance is" Loke says smiling, disregarding Mira, because that was most likely due to her making her food.

Blushing Erza looks away taking in everything the spirit has said.

* * *

"We have to work together?" Gray exclaimed furiously.

"The power of fire and ice cannot combine!" Natsu retorted.

"There's no way!"

"Impossible!"

"I mean, Erza's so selfish!"

"Exactly!" Gray shouted. "She can't make all the decisions like that!"

"I can take care of Erigor all by myself!" They both snarled.

"Stop mimicking me!" They yelled in unison, smashing a fist into the other's face.

"Wait." Gray ordered, looking at a fork in the road. "We'll have to split up here."

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

"Listen, Natsu." Gray warned him. "Our opponent is a maniac with a dangerous power at his disposal. If you find him, just crush him."

"There's more to it, isn't there?" Natsu asked. "He's an idiot who picked a fight with Fairy Tail. I'll just burn him to cinders if I find him."

The two boys grinned at each other, before realization set in and they turned away, huffing. "Don't die." Gray muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing! Just go already!" Gray shouted, already running down his path.

"Damn." He cursed, eyeing a loudspeaker. "If he's really planning to broadcast that death melody, it's not going to be pretty. Wait... broadcast?"

The enormity of his brainwave caused Gray to stop in his tracks. "If he's planning to broadcast it, then he has to be in the room with the controls to the broadcasting system!"

A few minutes later, Gray found a door labeled 'Studio'. "Found it!" He exclaimed, kicking the door open, only to find it empty.

"Wait." The ice mage muttered, oblivious to the Eisenwald member coming out of the ceiling. "This is the only room Erigor could broadcast from. If he's not here, then does that mean he never planned to broadcast it?"

The Dark guild member grinned as he shot several black bands from his fingers at Gray's back. Just before they connected, Gray leapt to one side and spun to face his assailant.

"You have good instincts." The man praised Gray, lowering himself to the floor. "That will prove to be a nuisance to our plan."

Gray smirked. "So there really is something bigger going on here, huh?"

* * *

"Makarov, dearie, I really like your mages. They're all so lively and spirited." Master Bob of the Blue Pegasus guild said as he came over to Makarov.

Makarov perked up. "Don't I know. We just got a new guild member, Lucy. she's quite powerful, that girl. 5th rank wizard saint, would you believe"

Master Bob, jaw dropped. "How in heaven's sake did you manage to get a wizard who is higher in rank than you in your guild?"

"Natsu brought her in after almost blowing up Hargeon Port" the small guild master said laughing. "Doubt he knew who she was though".

Goldmine, the master of the Quatro Cerberus guild, frowned "It's good to be lively, but aren't your mages taking things too far? I heard that the council is worried they might blast a whole town to smithereens one day."

Makarov sweat dropped "Probably will with the girl's strength, I was a little harsh with one of my members kids and almost suffocated from the amount of magic power she was giving off."

"Oh my." Bob giggled. "Remind me not to mess with this Lucy of yours."

"Master Makarov." A delivery bird called, flying over with a letter. "You have a message from Mirajane Strauss."

Makarov took out a card from the envelope and held it up. A hologram of Mira came to life. "Master, thank you for attending the regular Guild Masters' meeting." She started.

"Look, she's our poster girl!" Makarov crowed to the assembled mages. "Isn't she cute?"

"Something amazing has happened, Master!" Holo-Mira cheered excitedly. "Erza formed a team with Natsu, Gray and the new guild member Lucy! Of course, Happy's with them too!"

"Don't you think it's wonderful?" She asked, oblivious to Makarov breaking out in a cold sweat. "I think this might be the strongest team in Fairy Tail! I thought you should know about this, so I sent you this letter. See you soon!" And she vanished.

The other mages shot up in alarm when Makarov fell off his seat.

 _Good heavens!_ Makarov thought in his semi-conscious state. _Now they really could destroy an entire town. The regular meeting ends today, and I can go back tomorrow, so until then... please don't make a mess! Especially you Lucy!_

* * *

A large crowd milled in front of the train station. Questions from many were being asked. Many consisted of 'what's going on inside?' and 'are the those threatening everyone gone?' were heard, but the station staff keeping the crowd at bay was unable to answer, as they didn't know themselves.

"Look!" A watcher shouted suddenly. "Someone's coming out!" seeing a tall scarlet haired woman they waited with baited breath for word of what's going on.

The crowd fell silent and watched as Erza stepped out onto the balcony of the building.

"You're the one who barged in here earlier!" An employee with a megaphone remembered. "What's happening inside?" Erza didn't reply. She just tore the megaphone out of his grasp and stepped forward.

"If you value your lives, leave here immediately!" She yelled through the device. "The station is occupied by dark mages. One of them is prepared to cast a spell that will kill everyone here! Evacuate as far away as possible."

The crowd went still for a moment, processing her words, before the mass of people turned and ran, screaming and pushing in their haste to escape.

"Hey!" The worker exclaimed. "Why are you causing panic?"

"It's better than seeing them die." Erza responded tonelessly. "What I just said is true. Of course, we're doing what we can to prevent it, but we cannot guarantee safety. It's best if you evacuate as well."

Erza watched the man flee, before turning back to face the city. _Erigor can commit mass murder by using Lullaby. But now that there's no one here, it would be meaningless to play it. So then... what will he do now?_

Erza's eyes widened in shock as the wind rose around the station to unnatural speeds. "What the...?" Backing away she realized it was only around the station that it was happening to.

* * *

"If you want to broadcast Lullaby, this is the only place to do it." Gray told his opponent. "If Erigor has the Lullaby and he's not here, then why did you occupy the station?"

His enemy responded by slamming the black bands into Gray. The ice mage ducked, and the attack smashed into the broadcasting console, obliterating it.

Gray frowned. _He destroyed the broadcasting system without hesitation. So, they really have something else in mind! But what the hell is it, Gray thought._

Gray whirled around to face another attack and formed a wall of ice in front of himself, causing the bands to bounce off. "What is your real plan?"

The Eisenwald mage grinned. "Right about now, Erigor should have formed his wind wall around the station."

"Wind wall?"

The man laughed. "It's a barrier meant to prevent you flies from leaving this place."

Erza looked up at the huge wall of wind and immediately realized that something else was going on. "The station... it's completely surrounded!"

"Oh?" A floating figure sighed. "What is a fly doing outside? Wait a minute... you're the one who made the bystanders run away. Hello, Titania."

Erza looked up at the man. "Erigor! Did you do this?" pointing to the wind barrier going around the station.

"I wanted to get a chance to fight you at least once." Erigor mused. "But unfortunately, I don't have time for that right now. So just stay inside and be a good little fly, ok?" With those words he sent a blast of wind at her, knocking her through the wind wall back into the station with no way back out to get to him.

Erza picked herself up from the floor and jumped at the barrier, only to pull her hand back rapidly as cuts appeared all over it. _What the hell? Erza thought._

"Don't bother." Erigor advised. "This wall only works one way, outside to inside. Anyone trying to leave will be torn to shreds" the man shrugged, floating away. "I've wasted enough time on you. I guess it's time for me to go now."

"What's going on?" Erza growled as she watched him disappear into the distance. "The station isn't their target?"

* * *

"I hate cryptic half-answers, so tell me exactly what's happening!" Gray ordered, smashing his foe through a wall.

"We trapped you idiots here because you took us by surprise." The man chortled. "We planned to block off access to Clover station, which is the last stop for this line. The town at the end is on the other side of a huge ravine, and the train is the only means of transportation there. Unless you can fly like Erigor, that is."

"So that's where he's headed?" Gray asked incredulously.

The Eisenwald mage sneered. "Think carefully. Something big is happening in Clover right now." When he saw Gray freeze in shock, realizing what he was insinuating the mage then took that moment to blast Gray back.

The ice user gritted his teeth against the blast. _No way. Clover... that town is... it's where the regular meeting for guild masters is being held and where the guild masters are right now! Are they the real target of this madness?_

"You've got some guts to try doing something like that to the old geezers." Gray commented.

"If they're unaware of what's happening, it should be easy. Someone like Erigor can handle it." The band user explained. "And the people in our way, like you guys, are trapped in this building. If Erigor put up the Magic Wind Barrier like he was supposed to." "With you stuck here, no one can stop us!" "We're taking revenge on those that dared oppress us!" He crowed.

The man choked when Gray grasped his face painfully. "We're going to stop it." The teenager growled. "And you'll regret ever messing with those we consider parents!"

His foe screamed before falling to the ground, completely stiff and frozen in a block of ice.

"I'll teach you that some guilds can be even more threatening than a Dark guild." Gray sneered, standing over the icy form.

* * *

Half of the Eisenwald guild was tied up thanks to Erza. She let her guard down momentarily and Erigor took that opportunity to push her inside the wind barrier trapping her inside. She tried busting out of it but only succeeded in hurting her arm. Now she was currently asking one of Eisenwald's mages, Byard some questions.

"Just forget about its lady. I already told you there's no undoing Erigor's barrier. You and your buddies are stuck." He laughed.

"Erza!" someone called out.

She looked up and saw it was Gray, "What are you doing here I thought you were with Natsu?"

"We decided to split up! Never mind that now! Listen I just found out Eisenwald's real target is Clover the next town up!" Gray informed.

"What?" Erza gasped.

"Erigor's headed towards the conference as we speak! He's planning to use the Lullaby to kill the guild masters!" he told her.

Erza glared murderously at Byard, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

He shivered with fear, "Because I'm a bad guy?"

"There's a problem, the station is surrounded by a wind barrier." Erza said ignoring the mages weak excuse.

"Yeah I know I saw it earlier. If you try to break through that thing it'll make mincemeat outta ya." He said.

"Yes, I know. I've already experienced that," Erza told him while holding her arm.

Gray saw the state her arm was in, "Whoa is your arm okay?"

Erza waved his concern away more worried about the guild masters and how close Egrigor was to them.

"That's not important. What is important is getting out of here. We must stop Erigor before he reaches the guild maters conference." She said then remembered something, "Wait a minute! I remember them talking about someone named Kage back at the pub. We must find that man Gray! He was the one who broke Lullaby's seal!"

"A dispeller huh? A seal-breaking wizard! He can take down the wind barrier!" Gray said.

Erza nodded, "That's what I'm hoping. Now let's start searching."

"Right." Gray said.

The two ran off unaware that Byard was up to something and it wasn't good.

 **With Lucy and Happy**

Lucy sighed, "This is weird, I can't sense him anywhere," closing her eyes to try and find his scent again, Lucy growls frustrated. "It's like he just disappeared into thin air."

"Aye." Happy said, confused to where the guy they were looking for went.

She stopped walking and sighed, "Let's head back to where Erza is. It's obvious we're not gonna find this guy and we should probably regroup anyways."

Happy cried out in terror at the mere mention of abandoning the mission given by Erza.

"Something wrong?" Lucy questioned.

"E-Erza gave you an order…so you have to follow through with its Lucy! Ignoring an order from Erza is never a good idea! She might seriously punish you!" Happy said.

Lucy sighed, "I'm not scared of my mate, Happy. And besides Erza may be strong but she could never touch me, unless I let her".

Happy thought about it then shook his head, "Nope, still won't risk it." She shook her head then walked away from him, "Whatever Happy, let's head back I'm tired of wasting my time." Happy silently followed her.

 **With Natsu**

Said dragon slayer was currently busting through walls of the building shouting out Erigor's name.

"Erigor! Come out come out wherever you are!" he roared smashing through more walls.

Kageyama sweat-dropped, "Geez, hasn't he ever heard of using a door?"

Now that Erigor's made it out safely this kid doesn't pose much of a threat. I could just let him go but what would be the fun in that? Kage thought emerging from his shadow.

Natsu ducked just in time to avoid a shadow punch, "Heh, nice reflexes kid, but that won't do you much good."

"I know you! You're that dude that tried to hurt Luce!" Natsu yelled.

Kage smirked, "Your talking about that blonde right? I was going to go after her instead of you, but I decided to get payback on you first before I go after her."

Natsu felt the air around him suddenly grow hotter and hotter, "Is that so? Then I guess I'll just have to take you out before you can even touch her!"

Kageyama smirked, "Aww? Did I hit a nerve?" he taunted placing his hands on the ground, "Shadow Knuckle!" his shadow emerged from under him forming into fists heading straight for Natsu who blocked it and surprising Kage.

Natsu then started smirking, "So, looks like I get to knock you around now huh? I'm getting all fired up."

Natsu kept dodging all Kageyama shadow knuckles annoying Kage somewhat.

Kage grit his teeth, Alright fairy. He thought putting his hand to the ground, Snake Shadow!" he shaped his shadow into multiple snakes and sent them at Natsu, "You can't run this time! They'll tear you to pieces!"

Natsu punched both fists together, "I've got this!" he grinned, Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu sent the attack right at the snakes dispelling them.

"I-impossible! He was able to defeat them with one shot! So much power…I didn't think wizards like this really existed." Kageyama murmured. Natsu's fist caught on fire, "You ready to talk? If not, I've got a fireball with your name on it." he grinned.

Kageyama backed away in fear, "Y-you're a monster!" and with that the fight was over.

"Aw man look what you've made me do," Natsu complained walking out of the giant hole he created, "I was trying not to mess up the whole place this time."

Kageyama moaned in pain against the wall.

"Anyway, I feel better. Sorry I had to take you down Dayarama." Natsu said.

A tick mark formed on his head, "Its Kageyama…"

"Whatever," Natsu said pointing at him, "Tell me where Erigor is or you're gonna get toasted."

Kageyama chuckled, "He's long gone you idiot. He's not even in this station anymore."

"What?" Natsu gasped.

"Natsu! Do not harm him we need him alive!" Erza yelled running towards them.

"Way to go you fire freak." Gray said also running towards them.

"Huh?" Natsu said at first then saw Erza bring out a sword coming right him. He stepped back in fear, "I don't know what I did wrong but I'm sorry!" he squealed.

Erza brought the sword down near Kage's head who yelled in fear. She glared murderously at him, "You will dispel the wind barrier and you will do so without complaint!" she told him.

Kageyama was shaking like a leaf unable to say anything back to her.

Natsu was shaking himself, "Just do it man! This chick a real monster!"

Gray turned to him, "Shut up Natsu!"

"Understood?! She repeated.

"Y-yes ma'am!" he said.

"Good." She said removing the sword away from him. He leaned off the wall and didn't notice the fat man known as Karacka was slowly coming out of the wall. The others didn't notice him either.

Sorry Kage. But it's all for the plan. He thought about to reach his hand out to strike Kage down. Just then the gang heard someone come running towards them at a fast pace. Looking back, they saw it was Lucy and Happy chasing right behind her with a demonic look on her face.

"Found Ya!" Lucy yelled heading towards Natsu and Kage with her fist burning brighter as it neared them.

Natsu blinked, "Luce? What's-" barely dodging his partner and moving Kage out of the way they see she flew right passed him to punch his would-be attacker in the face sending her and the plump dark guild member crashing into the wall taking everyone by surprise.

Gray blinked, "What…the hell…?"

"Natsu!" Happy yelled.

"Happy!" Natsu said seeing his friend fly over to him, "Hey buddy, what's wrong with Lucy?"

"We couldn't find the fat guy, so Lucy wanted to go back to where Erza was, but we didn't see her there and only saw the beat up Eisenwald guys. Then Lucy heard that Byard guy telling the fat guy to kill Kage since he's the only one that can dispel the wind barrier." Happy explained.

"What?!" Natsu cried out in anger.

"So, they were just going to kill him off?!" Gray questioned just as angry as Natsu.

"That's vile!" Erza growled.

Kage just stood there in shock. His own guild mates would rather have him dead than help the Fairy Tail wizards? His own guild mates turned on him just like that?

Happy nodded recalling what happened to Lucy. "Lucy got really angry and ran off to stop that from happening! She started burning up really hot and her eyes turned really dark."

They all looked at the blonde who still had flames surrounding her. Since her back was towards them no one on the team could see the slightly demonic face she was giving off at Karacka who was holding his bruised eye and shaking in fear at the demon in front of him.

Lucy walked towards him slowly like a lion about to devour its prey. Karacka stumbled backwards his back hitting the wall behind him. He could just use his magic, but he was too paralyzed with fear to think straight.

"W-wait! I'm sorry! I didn't want to do it! Byard made me! I swear! Please don't hurt me!" he pleaded.

Lucy didn't care about what he said, all she cared about was making sure he didn't hurt anyone else. Stopping right in front of him so he could look at her face, she cocked back her fist igniting it making Karacka even more terrified now than he was before.

 _I regret ever joining this guild, the man thought._

"N-no wait please! I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!" he pleaded again.

"Celestial Demon... she started.

"No! Stop! Please!" he yelled.

"finger flick!" flicking her index finger onto his forehead Lucy knocked the mage into the wall with the amount of force she sent in the flick.

"Crap, I forgot to hold back my strength" Lucy said scratching her head.

No one said a word. How could they? Lucy just knocked someone out with the flick of her finger and to add insult to injury she put enough force into it she knocked the guy out.

Natsu's eyes widened in shock, Happy trembled behind Natsu's leg eyes wide, Gray stood there in total shock with a bead of sweat running down his face, and Erza was simply speechless. Even Kageyama didn't say anything.

Lucy turned to face them, although she was pissed off by the fact that these guys would try to kill one of their own without any hesitation, she wanted to apologize for knocking out someone they could question. "Sorry guys, I kind of went overboard huh?" Lucy says.

"Overboard! Are you kidding me you knocked out that guy with the flick of your finger!" Gray yelled.

Cringing Lucy looks to the fat mage shrugging. "Yeah, but to be fair I didn't use all my strength, on him".

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and saw it Natsu's grinning face. "Man Luce, you gotta show me how you create those moves, the dragon slayer says trying to mimic her finger flick"

Erza, Gray and Happy can't help but sweat drop at the two slayers obliviousness.

"No problem Natsu, once this is over, I'll teach you how to do that no problem!" Lucy says happily.

"Wow Lucy you have the weirdest moves" happy says jumping into the two friends' conversations.

Gray and Erza looked at the scene with confusion on their faces. Could what she did really be considered a move, both thinks. _Man, this girl is a real mystery._

Unfortunately, since Kageyama was still heavily injured he didn't have enough magical energy to dispel the wind barrier. Th four mages and Happy were stuck behind the wind wall unable to leave and hopefully catch up to Erigor.

"Kage!" Erza yelled trying to get the mage to dispel it despite his being so weak.

He smiled, "It's no use. You'll never be able to catch up to Erigor. You can't stop us. We've won."

"I wouldn't be so sure", Lucy says while eating some celestial food.

 _Seriously, does she ever stop eating, they all thought._

"Huh, what makes you say that?" the shadow mage says.

Smiling the celestial mage/demon slayer shows her key ring jingling it to the others, when no one says anything she rolls her eyes and explains.

"Virgo here, "Hello princess and friends", the maid says after popping up, "Can dig holes. With her help we can get out of here in a no time."

Shoving the blondes head to her armor Erza thanks her for her help. "brilliant Lucy I knew it was a good idea for bringing you."

"No, you didn't" Gray muttered, earning a glare from Erza.

Blushing Lucy looks away, high fiving Happy for impressing Erza, while Virgo went to dig the tunnel letting the others prepare to get to the other side. When the spirit is finished, and they are outside of the wind barrier Erza looks around for her pink haired companion.

Erza looked at Gray, then looked around and noticed something, "Where's Natsu?!"

"Happy and Lucy aren't here either!" Gray said.

* * *

Erigor was almost at Clover Town, "I see the town up ahead. A bit further and I'll have my revenge."

"Raaargh!" Natsu yelled.

Erigor turned his head to the side and was shocked to see not only Natsu but Lucy too. She was currently flying with her celestial flames, as support.

"We've got you now! Didn't know Happy could fly at mock speed did ya?!" Natsu questioned.

Lucy smirked, "Judging by his face I'm guessing he didn't!"

Happy let Natsu go and Lucy sped up some more allowing both to kick Erigor out of the sky. Both teens landed safely on the train tracks.

"Celestial flaming kick!"

Natsu grinned, "Fire dragon kick!" mimicking his partners move.

Natsu looked up and saw Happy coming down and reached out to grab him, "You okay?"

Happy looked exhausted, "Yeah but, I'm too tired to fly."

Natsu smiled, "Don't worry buddy. I think I can handle it from – Lucy!"

"Yeah Natsu?" Lucy asked confused from where she was standing atop Erigor.

"Wha-what? How the hell did you beat him so fast?" Natsu whined disappointed he didn't get to fight the wind mage but also impressed at his partner.

"Oh well while you were talking to Happy, I had Scorpio come out and do a sand buster to stop his wind, then I knocked him out with my demon wrath" smiling "I told you my flames are strong."

"Wow Natsu, we were only talking for a few seconds" Happy said in awe of their friends' power," _She really is worthy of her wizard saint rank, Happy thought, starry eyed._

"Natsu!" "Lucy"

Both teens looked behind them and saw the same green car that held the rest of their team and a wounded Kageyama.

"Hey! You guys just missed Lucy beat Erigor!" he said.

"So, did you Natsu" Happy pointed out laughing.

"Well, it's not my fault Lucy's impatient!" Natsu says trying to defend himself.

Happy landed on her shoulder, "Aye!"

"I'm proud of you." Erza said getting up slowly from the vehicle. Lucy went by her side immediately and, "Mate, are you alright? You seem a little sick"

Erza sent her a deadpanned look, "Yes. Don't worry about me. Just, uh, good job defeating Erigor."

Lucy nodded then went back to her normal self. "Of course, anything for you!"

Erza looked away blushing from the girl's words.

Kageyama had his mouth wide open, No way! Erigor never loses! He gulped.

"I can't believe you had such a hard time with this guy." Gray taunted.

Natsu glared at him, "I never said that! Lucy just got to him first because Happy distracted me!"

"Not true. You took a break and let Lucy do all the work." Happy said.

"Whatever." Gray crossed his arms, ignoring Natsu and Happy.

Natsu gave him a look, "Yeah alright".

Erza smiled, "Anyway, well done Lucy. Thanks to you all the guild masters are safe."

Lucy grinned happy to satisfy her mate.

Gray nodded.

Natsu gave a thumbs up.

"While we're here we should make sure to stop by the guild masters conference and tell them what happened and ask them how to properly dispose of the Lullaby flute." Erza told them.

"Might as well since we're so close to Clover." Happy said.

"I could just burn it, I mean I am a demon slayer, so my magic is pretty much made for doing this type of stuff" Lucy said.

"You can really do that?" Gray asks, a bit skeptical that ridding such a powerful artifact could be so easy.

"Yup!" Lucy says.

Kageyama grinned noticing none of the mages were paying attention to him.

"Well, uh okay then" Erza says about to grab the flute to hand over when she notices Kage plugged into the car they were in and driving away from them, his shadow grabbing the demonic flute Lullaby.

"Kage!" Erza yelled, mad at herself for not noticing him get out of their sight.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Gray yelled.

"Lullaby's mine now! You shouldn't have let your guard down flies!" he grinned driving off leaving them in his dust. Everyone stood there in shock and disbelief.

"That jerk!" Natsu yelled.

"This is how he pays us back for saving his life?!" Gray growled.

"After him!" Erza ordered.

"Celestial Demon Jet Fire boots and arms" Lucy growled getting everyone's attention. Golden flames erupted from her feet and hands as she soared through the sky heading towards where clover town was.

The remaining mages heading for another magic car.

"I just got to ask, are those moves she shouts out real or does she just make them up as she goes?" Gray asks as he runs.

Happy and Natsu shrug not entirely sure, but happily enjoying the moves she shows them either way.

"Honestly we don't know but made up or not Lucy's pretty strong, so they usually work out in the end" Happy says.

"Yeah, isn't she awesome!" Natsu says, praising his team mate.

 **Clover Town Conference Building**

The team arrived at the conference building shortly after Lucy did. The former waiting for them by a tree eating some celestial food. "You guys made it" Lucy says grinning.

"Yes, we did, now let's go! We need to find Master Makarov and the other guild master!" Erza said relieved that Lucy made it okay.

"What do we do about Erigor?" Gray asked looking to the man Lucy knocked out. _Starting to think she may have killed him._

Natsu picked the unconscious man up, "We'll just take him with us come on let's go!"

They nodded and ran off to go find Master Makarov.

"There he is!" Gray yelled pointing to where the short yet powerful man was seated.

"Gramps!" Natsu yelled.

"Master!" Erza yelled.

"Shhh," a fat man wearing lipstick and eye shadow with a necklace pink shirt with wings on them and striped pants shushed them, "We're just about to get to the good part." He then spotted Gray and Natsu, "Well aren't you boys yummy. So adorable."

Gray and Natsu held each other fearfully backing away from the man.

Lucy rubbed her chin, " Who's this interesting character?"

"Master Bob." Erza said, shivering at the Blue Pegasus guild master.

"Erza honey, you have really filled out." He complimented, only to back away when he felt a massive surge of power.

"She's my mate, back off" Lucy growled.

Nodding the blue Pegasus guild master back away quickly while Erza sweat dropped at the blonde's words. "My apologies darling, won't happen again."

Master Makarov sighed, "Well? I can't wait forever young man."

Kageyama hesitated for a while before bringing the flute to his mouth.

"Oh no!" Erza said.

"Can you guys keep it down over there," one man said wearing a hat that had a dog collar on it. He had dark yellow hair wearing a dog collar on his neck, wearing shade glasses, dark blue shirt, and black pants, "We're just about to get to the good part."

"Huh? Who's he?" Lucy asked not recognizing anyone here.

"That's Quatro Cerberus guild Master Goldmine." Erza said, "How do you not know who any of these people are? Have you been living in a cave your whole life?" Confused as to how such a well-known mage would not recognize any of the guild masters.

"Yes. How did you know?" the blonde answered surprised the scarlet mage was able to guess such a thing about herself since not many people knew this fact about her.

"Ack- I-I didn't. It was just a figure of speech. Never mind" Erza coughed, now curious about the girls past.

Makarov frowned, "Well?" he asked again.

Kageyama hesitated to play the flute, I can do this. I just have to play one song. And that will change everything!

Makarov blinked then closed his eyes then looked back at Kageyama, "Nothing is going to change."

Kageyama looked at the old man.

"You cannot change the fact that those who are weak will forever remain weak. Now maybe it's just me, but I don't think that's a bad thing. I mean we humans are weak creatures by nature. Our insecurities are the reason the guilds even exist. And they're why we have friends." He said.

Kageyama just stared at the old man, taking in all he's said.

He smiled, "Don't let that silly flute get in the way."

Kageyama dropped the flute having heard the old man's heart filled words and bowed to the man, "I surrender."

The team ran over to the old man relieved that he was safe and okay.

"Master!" Erza cried out happily.

"You stopped him!" Natsu smiled.

"Nice job gramps!" Gray smirked.

"What! How did you kids end up in clover?" Makarov questioned.

"Master Makarov," Erza brought his head to her breastplate, "Your words touched me so deeply that I was almost moved to tears."

"Ow!" Makarov squeaked.

Gray smirked crossing his arms; "Well it looks like we got here just in time to see Gramps talk his way out of another one."

"Oh no", Lucy said aloud sensing a huge amount of demonic power in the area. The only thing she could see that could provide such power being Lullaby.

"I've grown tired of you cowardly wizards!" the demonic flute Lullaby said.

Everyone looked over and saw the flute's eyes were glowing purple with electricity coming out of it.

"Something came out!" Happy yelled.

"I can no longer hold back! I shall come forth to devour you myself!" the flute Lullaby went into its demonic form which was pretty big. The three eyes on it glowed staring down at the mages, "I shall feast upon your pitiful souls!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, " Lullaby's demonic form…" slowly releasing a fraction of her full power Lucy stepped forward. "Hehe, too bad for you Lullaby but I was trained to take you down" Lucy said.

"Aye!" Happy said.

"What is that thing?! Erigor never said anything about a monster!" Kageyama yelled.

"We're in a pickle." Bob said.

"It must be a demon from the book of Zeref." Goldmine said.

The rest of the masters that were inside the guildhall ran away when they saw the demon.

"Why did the flute turn into a monster?" Kageyama questioned.

"That's what Lullaby's true form looks like in the flesh. Its forbidden black magic. Living magic. Zeref's specialty." Goldmine said.

"Living magic?" Erza said.

"Zeref? You're talking about the Black Wizard?" Gray questioned.

"He's the evilest wizard the world has ever known. He was very powerful in his day. But in my wildest dreams I never thought his dark legacy would pop back up again." Bob said.

"Now then. Which of these delectable souls should I dine on first?" Lullaby said.

"Delectable huh?" Natsu said then turned to Gray, "Do you think souls are really that tasty?"

"From what Luce told me they taste very bland" Lucy says before jumping into the fray.

A tick mark appeared on Gray's head, "Does she do that a lot? Like just jump into fights without planning"

"Aye, that's our Lucy!" Happy yelled.

"Natsu, and Gray! Get everyone to a safe place!" Erza ordered.

"Quit barking orders!" Natsu complained. "Yeah you're not the boss of us!" Gray said.

She glared at them, "Just do it!"

"Aye Aye!" they said scampering off.

"Celestial Secret Arts: Flaming Demon Wrath!" a golden inferno wrapped around Lullaby making it screech in pain. However, that did not stop it from continuing to try and take everyone down. Seeing where Lucy stood it smacked her from her place on its arm.

The Fiore army tried to charge at the flute when they arrived only to be scared off by a beam that came from its mouth.

"I have no need for those pathetic humans! I prefer the taste of a wizard's soul and I will consume all of yours!" Lullaby declared after the flames finally died down, revealing a partially charred demon.

"Oh yeah?! I'd like to see you try, bring it on big guy!" Natsu yelled.

"Good luck!" the guild masters yelled of words of encouragement.

Lucy sweat-dropped as she slowly picked herself up. Wiping the blood off her face and pushing her arm back into place after dislocating it, she spat on the ground where the guild masters formerly were "So they're just gonna watch and make us do all the work? Wimps".

"You're right about that." Happy agreed.

Lullaby's eyes glowed purple and it started screeching letting everyone know it was about to attack.

Lucy glared at the demonic flute; "I was trained by the strongest demon slayer on all of Earthland" golden flames wrapped itself around Lucy as she swallowed the demon particles that were being released from Lullaby "With his power bestowed upon me I will not allow you to harm anyone under my watch".

Activating her demon force Lucy gained a red tattoo like mark all alongside her right side with a gold aura surrounding her. Flaming eyes glared at the demonic flute. Slowly her wounds started to fade, and her magic power began to rise.

"Oh, my word…" Bob breathed out.

Goldmine's eyes widened, "I've never seen magic like that before."

Makarov was just as surprised but didn't comment on it. He was going to see just what his new child was capable of.

Gray blinked, "Whoa…so this is what she's like full powered."

"Lucy looks a bit scary!" Happy was a bit frightened but also awed at his friends' power.

"I've never seen her use her full power before…and even then, I feel she's still holding back." Erza observed.

Natsu stared at his partner unable to form words. She looked like a true demon. He shook his head, that was still Lucy, his best friend.

Lullaby looked down at the blonde getting an uneasy feeling that chilled it to the bone. _This power, this aura surrounding the girl, how is she able to frighten me._ Demons aren't supposed to be afraid of anything! Yet this human made it feel…fear

Lucy slammed her hands together creating a bang gaining the demons attention, "Your making me do more work than I wanted to and your gonna pay for that! she said practically teleporting right in front of its face catching it off guard. "No one makes me bleed and survives" she says scaring the demon.

" Ultimate Celestial Dark Arts: Demon Purgatory" spinning she punched the demon in the face with flames so hot that even those on the ground could feel it. Then she struck at it again making it scream out in pain and holding its face with its hands from the burning sensation of her demon flames.

The guild master's eyes widened.

"She-she actually managed to land a hit on it!" "No, she managed to two hits!"

"Who is that girl?!" one of the guild master yelled.

Makarov grinned at his new child proud of her bravery and knew found knowledge of her laziness.

"Holy crap…Lucy's really kicking ass out there!" Natsu yelled, excited at his partners strength.

"No kidding. Remind me to never make her mad." Gray agreed.

Erza got out her twin blades, "Ready? We can't make Lucy do all work!" running out to the battlefield

They nodded, "Oh yeah!" readying there magic and striking in tandem.

They all charged at the demon.

"Requip!" Erza said transforming into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, "The Knight!" she striked its chest.

Gray did an ice-make pose, "Ice-Make: Lance!" he sent multiple lances at the demon hurting it even more.

Natsu punched both fists together, "Now it's my turn!" he said, Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he punched the demon square in the face.

"They just hit the demon with more fire and Ice!"

"I didn't know ice magic could do that!"

"That girl can requip her armor!"

"You are making me angry!" Lullaby yelled trying to swat them only for them to jump out the way in time. Erza struck its leg tripping it back, while Gray sent numerous ice arrows at it. Lucy meanwhile delivered her strongest Star Demons Wrath at the other leg, and Natsu fired a Fire dragons punch at the demons' body knocking it back several steps.

Kageyama watched them fight in awe, "That's incredible! Their combination attacks are so powerful! And they're in sync!" He couldn't believe how strong just these four wizards were.

"Aye!" Happy smiled.

Lullaby was about to play its song again.

"That's not good! It's about to play its song!" Happy yelled.

Lullaby grinned, "Just one quick note and your souls will be mine!" everyone covered their ears but when Lullaby tried to play its song no sound came out.

"Nothing happened!" Happy cried out in shock.

"I don't understand! Why can't I play my melody of death?!" Lullaby asked in confusion.

"It must be because of all those attacks!" Kageyama said.

"They punched so many holes in that thing it must have messed up its sound!" Happy theorized, "Well flutes are pretty lame to begin with." "You dare mock me?!" Lullaby yelled kicking anything and in his sights. It glared at the guild masters ready to attack them all.

"Ice-Make…" Gray started. A wall fire was blocked off by the ice mage, "Shield!" an ice shield formed around them.

"Oh wow!"

"That boys maker magic is spectacular!"

"I will kill you all!" Lullaby yelled then saw the flames being devoured by Natsu and Lucy.

"Those were delicious!" Lucy yelled.

"Oh yeah?! Now I've got a fire in my belly!" Natsu grinned.

"You're not human! You're a monster!" Lullaby accused sending a punch their way. Natsu jumped in the air then ran up its arm while Lucy did a backflip to avoid getting injured again.

"Stop climbing me!" it yelled. Natsu jumped in the air again then Erza came up right behind him, "Requip!" she changed into her Black Wing Armor.

"Ice-Make: Saucer!" Gray created an ice saucer and sent it at the demon hitting it side.

Erza sliced its right cheek, while Lucy sent more flames at its left one causing the demon to screech in more pain.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled. "Now!" Gray yelled.

"Give it the finishing punch!" Lucy yelled.

Natsu punched both fists together, "I've got this!" he said. Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame! he sent the giant flame at Lullaby eradicating it from existence and it became a normal flute signaling the end of the battle.

"Well done." Makarov complemented.

"Your amazing!" Bob said.

Goldmine smirked, "You kids made defeating Zeref's demon look easy."

Kageyama was in awe, "I can't believe how strong they are!"

* * *

The smoke cleared and revealed Erza in the middle, Gray to her right who had his arms crossed, Natsu to her left holding his scarf with one hand, and Lucy sitting down next to the pink haired fire mage.

"Wow…are all of the Fairy Tail wizards as powerful as these four?" Kageyama questioned.

"Aye! There's no doubt about it! This is the strongest team!" Happy declared.

"We're an awesome guild, aren't we?" Makarov bragged.

"Great work out there you guys!" Happy said.

"Thanks, but it wasn't a big deal." Natsu grinned.

"Yeah piece of cake." Gray smirked.

They all laughed at their victory over the curse object Lullaby. Kageyama watched them from afar, "They may be a bunch of fools, but they're stronger than I am." He said wholeheartedly with a smile on his face. Bob laid a hand on his shoulder, "Young man, we've gotta get you to a doctor you precious thing." He said rubbing his cheek against Kage's. "I can feel your stubble." Kageyama said.

Goldmine crossed his arms, "I can't exactly say I understand what just happened, but it's obvious we owe a big round of thanks to the Fairy Tail guild."

"We do?"

"Even so, I must say…"

Erza turned and saw the building, "Gugh!"

Natsu and Gray turned around to look and saw they blew up the whole damn building!

"They went overboard!" all the guild masters yelled.

Makarov started shaking.

Lucy sighed at the racket everyone was making "Man what a drag, I just wanted to hang with my mate." Putting her hands behind her head she started walking off so as not get pinned the blame on. She knew much of the damage was caused by her fighting Lullaby but still, walking slowly she edged her way away from the site, giving her team plenty of time to catch up to her.

"The conference halls destroyed!" Happy yelled.

Natsu laughed, "We really made a mess of the place didn't huh?"

Erza bowed, "Please forgive us Master!"

Gray simply crossed his arms and looked away, until he saw the Fiore army headed their way. "Ahh, come on guys we gotta go!"

Happy nodded, "We should hurry up and get home then!"

"I agree. Let's all head home!" Erza said, looking around she failed to see Lucy. "Wait where's Lucy everyone?"

Gray frowned, "What the hell, did she leave without us!"

"Hahaha, yeah, but don't worry I know exactly where she went. Follow me guys" Natsu yelled smiling at the scent he was following.

Master Makarov nodded, "Alright then, Let's get going kids!"

And with that the members of Fairy Tail ran away from the conference building heading towards the member of team Natsu that abandoned them.

* * *

I thought that maybe the last chapter was a bit too long and wanted to split it up into two chapters. I appreciate comments.


	7. The Canyon

The gang had just caught up to Lucy who had appeared to be waiting for them at the entrance of a canyon and _not_ Magnolia.

"Hey, you guys made it!" Lucy says as she tries to mimic Plue's dance moves. "Took ya long enough".

"Puuun, Puuun" Plue says as the snowball spirit wiggles its body trying to copy its master.

"Ah come on Plue. We didn't mean to take so long, Luce was the one who ran off!" Natsu apologizes.

The other mages looking at the dragon slayer in wonder at him interacting with the small snowman spirit.

"It matters not who ran off and left who" Master says shaking himself out of the stupor and getting back on track, "What matters is getting home!"

"Puuun, Puuun!" Plue says in agreement. "Got that right Plue!" Lucy says high fiving the spirit.

"Oh, and what's that?" Erza asks interested in what she could possibly be talking to the small spirit about. "Oh, just that Plue and I are lost!" Lucy says grinning, as if that isn't a big deal. "Yeah, why do you think I waited for you here, I have no idea how to get home.''

"You're kidding me. First you run off, leaving us behind with the Fiore army, then you get us lost!" Gray yells.

Running to its master, Plue hides behind Lucy's legs, causing a frown to appear. "Hey, you guys didn't have to follow me, you could've gone your own way"

"What and leave you behind, yeah like you'd survive" Erza says.

 _Look Loke, she's starting to grow attached to me!_

" _No, she's not she just doesn't want a dead team mate on her conscious" Loke argues._

Ignoring her spirit, she looks back to Erza with a raised eyebrow "Do you not remember who you're talking to mate?" waving her had up and down "I was trained by a demon, lived in a cave, and traveled for years with just my spirits. I can handle one little canyon without you" Lucy says arms crossed with Plue by her side in the same power pose.

 _It's hard to take her serious when that spirit mimics everything she does, Erza thinks._

"First, not you're mate. Second if you had stayed with us, we probably would've been halfway to Magnolia by now."

Waving Erza off, Lucy smiles putting an arm around her to point ahead and say "Semantles. Just look on the bright side Erza, now we can spend more time getting to know each other, right Plue"

"Puuun, Puuun" the spirit says in agreement.

Blushing the scarlet haired mage shakes her head at the blonde's advances reluctantly following the girl into the canyon, arm still around her. _Why me she thinks._

Off to the side are Gray, Natsu and Makarov shaking and holding each other for support after witnessing Lucy touch Erza without her permission.

"Dude how has Lucy not lost an arm yet" Gray says clutching gramps closer for protection when Erza decides to attack the blonde for touching her.

"Erza likes her" Happy says from his spot in the middle of the huddle low enough Erza can't hear him but loud that the threw guys can.

"Ya think Happy?" Natsu asks in wonder.

"I don't know but how else can you explain Lucy not getting killed yet."

"I would have to agree with Happy" Master says from his spot "Erza must have some sort of fondness for Lucy if she has not harmed her. And look she is letting the girl continue to hold her like that". Turning their heads, they see Lucy leading the very reluctant older girl into the canyon.

Eventually when the two girls are far away enough but gramps speaks again. "Come now, act like men and follow those girls."

All four clutch each other closer and follow from a distance all thinking the same thing, _What the hell is semantles?_

* * *

"Man, I want some food." Natsu complained. "Ditto" Lucy says from her spot by Erza.

Gray glared at the two slayers, "Shut up you too, we all do! Talking about it just makes us hungrier."

Natsu got in his face, "Well I can't help it if I'm hungry jerk!"

"True, but you could stop running your mouth, can't you?!" Gray growled.

Looking to Lucy he speaks again. "And how are you still hungry you've literally been eating weird golden stuff the entire mission?"

Lucy shrugged, "That's celestial food for my demon slayer powers and what can say, I have a big appetite."

"Yo Luce, bring us out some Celestial food so we can eat then!" Natsu yells hoping to answer their hungry prayers. Hopefulness filling everyone's eyes.

"You guys can't eat the food that I eat to fuel my powers" Lucy commented. "Besides it's Virgo's busy at the moment so I can't even get my celestial fuel for the day" she pouted.

"Damn it!" the other mages yelled.

"Listen up!" Makarov interrupted, "We need some food…"

"Yeah! We know!" they yelled. "That's been established" Lucy said.

"Enough." Erza said before her stomach started growling.

They all looked at her.

"Your stomach's trying to tell ya something, isn't it?" Natsu asked.

Erza looked away, "No it's not you're hearing things."

"No mate, your stomach is growling for food, I'll go hunt for you" before they could stop her, Lucy left their sight.

"Uh, great Erza, you're mate just left us now what do we do." Gray said.

"She's not my mate and how should I know, Master?" she looks to their guild master for guidance.

"I don't know. The girls a wild card" he answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Natsu was rolling on the ground laughing, until Erza hit him on the head. "Enough what are we going to do now".

"Don't worry Lucy's senses are as good as mine so she'll be able to find her way back" Natsu explained.

"You guys!" Happy yelled, moving everyone's attention from the now missing teammate to something else.

"What're you excited about?" Natsu questioned.

"Down there! Look Natsu! Look!" Happy said pointing downward.

They all looked down at the canyon and saw what looked to be flying fish.

"Those are wing fish! They're a legendary delicacy, and they're supper yummy from what I hear!" Happy explained.

"A legendary delicacy?" Gray questioned. "Never heard of them."

"Wing fish huh?" Erza said with her eyes closed, imaging the dishes she could make.

Natsu grinned, "Sounds good to me."

Makarov put a hand on Happy's shoulder, "Well done Happy, you make this old man very proud."

"Now time to fish." Happy said bringing out a fishing rod from out of nowhere. Soon they all had fishing rods in their hands and started fishing right along with Happy.

"Aw come on ya stupid fish. Just shut up and let me eat ya." Natsu whined. "Man, I bet we could catch these fish faster with one of Lucy's spirits" Natsu whined.

"We've gotta fish harder guys!" Happy yelled in determination.

Gray looked down at the fish, "I've never heard of these fish Happy, are you sure these things really taste that good?"

"Anything edible will do." Erza told the ice mage.

"I didn't realize you were that hungry." Gray commented.

"You're going in my belly! Right now! Ya hear?!" Happy yelled, "Happy's gonna eat you fish!"

But after a few minutes he tossed his fishing pole aside, "Whatever I give up."

"Well that was fast. Giving up already Buddy?" Natsu asked.

He looked down, "But I couldn't catch a single fish…"

He patted him on the head, "Don't look so down. You really wanna eat one, don't you? So, don't give up just yet."

Happy looked up at her and nodded, "Thanks Natsu."

He smiled, "Your welcome."

* * *

After what felt like forever, they finally managed to catch one, even though it was small.

Gray sighed, "Well that was harder than it was supposed to be."

"All that trouble just for one fish." Erza said.

Natsu lit the fish on fire then dispelled it when it was cooked properly, "Go ahead and eat it Happy," he said.

"But that wouldn't be fair to you guys would it?" Happy asked.

"It's way too small to split up. If we had a bite, we'll just want more." Gray grumbled.

"Hurry up and eat it before we change our minds!" Makarov yelled.

Happy started drooling, "Okay! Don't mind if I do!" he said taking a bite out of the fish.

"That fish must be bringing you a lot of joy if you're eating it like that." Natsu observed.

"Gross!" Happy yelled.

Erza sweat-dropped, "Really? You didn't like it?"

"I hate to say it, but…" Natsu said.

"All that fishing…" Gray said.

"Made me hungrier." Makarov finished.

* * *

 **Meanwhile with Lucy**

"I wonder if taking this back to Erza will bring her closer to me" Lucy says while dragging a giant boar on its back. "Lucifer said that I would need to court my mate first".

" _Well, Erza did say she was hungry so, delivering her a big meaty dish should bring you too closer together"_ Loke says telepathically.

"Yahoo! Alright, let's go then I smell them near." pumping her fist Lucy asks Loke to hold the boar in the spirit world to keep it fresh until she reaches her friends and begins running towards where she smells Erza's scent.

* * *

The rest of the team kept walking until they saw what looked like a village up ahead.

"A village!" Erza said with relief.

"Houses!" Gray said.

"And that means…there must be." Happy said.

"FOOD!" Natsu yelled running towards the village the others following right behind him. Once they arrived, they noticed there was no one here and that it looked like a ghost town.

"There's no one here." Gray said.

"Yes, It's awfully quiet for a village." Erza observed.

"Maybe their taking an afternoon nap or something." Natsu said, "Hey! Anybody here!"

"We're starving like crazy out here! Somebody cooks us some dinner!" Happy yelled.

Gray couldn't help but roll his eyes, "You really think the whole town's taking a nap?"

"Hmmm, well its either that or they all got drunk and passed out." Makarov said serious.

"We're not at the guild, Master." Erza scolded.

He chuckled, "We do love our spirits, don't we?"

"I'm gonna go find a kitchen to raid!" Natsu said running away from them.

"Shame on you for even thinking about robbing this place Natsu." Gray told him, having the same thoughts as he did.

"You're just mad I thought of it first." Natsu told him.

Natsu knocked on a door, "Hey anyone home? Come one give us something to eat we're dying!" the door opened. The two boys noticed there was no one inside the house.

"Looks like nobody's here." Gray observed. Natsu walked inside, "Who cares? There's food." He picked the piece of bred up smelling it, "Great, it still smells fresh. Open wide."

"Not so fast." Erza said, stopping him with a sword at throat.

He looked at her slightly frightened, "What is it now?!"

"There's something strange here." She told him.

"She's right. Who would leave a table full of food just sitting there like that?" Gray questioned, "And if somebody cooked this, where the heck are they now?"

"How should I know? Anyway, ready to dig in Happy?" Natsu smiled, already splitting the bread and soup.

"Aye!" Happy said.

"Natsu!" Erza growled.

"Aye! Yes ma'am?!" he said fearfully.

"We need to investigate the village first. If we've held out this long, we can hold on a little-" Erza was cut off by the sound of her stomach.

"Sounds to me like your stomach might have different plans." Gray told her.

Makarov nodded, "Yes but which one do we listen to?"

"Search the area for mushroom or anything else that looks edible, and don't eat the food in the village okay? While you're all doing that Master and I will try to figure out what's going on!" Erza ordered.

"Yeah yeah, I hear ya, let's go Happy, Gray." Natsu said sarcastically.

"Aye." Happy said.

"Whatever", Gray grunted.

* * *

While they did find some mushrooms, they all had suspicious looking colors on them.

"Stupid Erza how am I supposed to get full on a bunch of mushrooms? The food back there looked really good too." Natsu complained then stopped randomly.

Gray stopped too, "Hey mushrooms!"

"I take it back this look tasty!" Natsu grinned, already grabbing a handful without a care.

* * *

"Hmm, smells like they went this way" walking through the forest Lucy continued to follow the scent of strawberry shortcake, smokiness and ice, after finding that her teamamtes weren''t in their original spot.

When she stops her trek halfway through, she notices she has entered a small opening full of mushrooms.

"Oh man these mushrooms look delicious!" Lucy yells as she grabs a hand full and shoves them in her mouth eating her fill. "Hmm, not too bad but not filling either" the mage says before continuing her walk towards her team mates not noticing a giant mushroom that had just grown on the top of her head.

"I better hurry if I want to catch up with Erza and the others" sniffing the air, Lucy continues "I really want a piece of this boar."

* * *

 **In the spirit world**

Several of Lucy's spirits were laughing uncontrollably at the sight of their master with a mushroom on her head.

"I'm sorry but shouldn't someone check on Lucy-san" Aries says trying to hold back her laughter.

"Nah, let her "mate" see her like that. Erza deserves a laugh with how much she's been having to put up with" Aquarius says not bothering to hold her laughter back.

"Yup" Loke says.

"Agreed" Virgo nods.

"Indeed" Capricorn smiles.

Capricorn, Loke and Virgo all say chuckling at the sight of their beloved master.

* * *

"So, why mushrooms?" Gray asked, after eating over a dozen of them.

"It's obvious isn't it? Both you and Natsu's have eaten the poisonous mushroom now we just wait for something weird to happen to you." Happy explained.

"Why would you say something like that after I've eaten them! Gray yelled, while still eating the mushrooms.

Happy snickered. "You and Natsu were already eating, what was me saying something gonna do."

"Give me some credit Happy, you really think I'd fall for something stupid like that? I'm a dragon slayer I can smell poisonous stuff from a mile away." Natsu said stuffing his face with mushrooms, not realizing what was about to happen to him.

* * *

Erza was looking outside trying to find something out of the ordinary but didn't see anything. Going back inside she saw the Master wasn't even looking he was sitting at the table about to eat.

She glared at the old man making him jump, "Master."

"What? I was just investigating Erza." Makarov lied poorly, "This food was looking suspicious."

* * *

"These mushrooms aren't that big, but if I keep eating a ton of them, I'm bound to get full sooner or later." Natsu said with mushrooms in his mouth.

"Here comes the set up." Happy announced.

"I don't know." Gray said munching on some mushrooms "I'm not feeling anything."

Both looked up from where they were picking up the mushrooms when a rustling sound was heard.

"Who's there," Natsu yelled lighting up his fists with mushrooms in hand.

Jumping out of the bushes was Lucy with a giant mushroom on her head smiling "I found ya guys! But where's my mate?" Lucy asks when she sees no sign of Erza.

No one spoke when they saw her, surprised by the giant mushroom on her head. Finally, Natsu let out a laugh at his partners look.

"Aww, no fair. Something was supposed to happen to Gray or Natsu because of the mushrooms! You totally ruined the gag, Lushie." Happy whined.

Lucy smiled at hearing the cat's complaining once again but frowned when she heard Natsu choking on some mushrooms he swallowed, "You alright?"

"No way" Happy smiled hoping what was happening was what he thought it was.

Just then a pick mushroom with yellow spots on it popped out of his head, "That was scary."

"No, what's scary is the mushroom that just popped out of your head. That's creepy Natsu, you should get that looked at" She sweat-dropped.

"Seriously Luce?" Natsu deadpanned, referring to her own mushroom on her head.

Happy looked down disappointed, "It's not as funny since it already happened to you."

"Is that so, I'm sorry?" Lucy said, confused at what he meant.

"Pfft, nice looking shroom hats you guys got on there" Gray said, unaware of the fact that he had a blue mushroom sticking out of his head.

"I don't know what you two are talking about but you two have giant mushrooms sticking out of your head, it's really creepy" Lucy pointed out.

"What?" Gray asked looking at the Natsu. Then they screamed out pointing to each other.

"Gaahaha, there's a mushroom on your head!" Natsu laughed.

"Oh yeah?! Well I bet yours is bigger than mine?" Gray laughed.

"Hey droopy eyes what the heck are ya laughing about huh?" Natsu glared.

"Me? What're you laughing about shroom head?" the two started fighting each other a dust cloud forming around them.

"I wonder" Lucy commented, realizing that it was the mushrooms they ate that gave the shroom hats Lucy touches her head only to confirm her suspicions.

Chuckling Lucy looks to Happy and says, "Look Happy. I have a mushroom head."

"Aye, Lucy" Happy says starting to feel left out.

* * *

"Did you find anybody?" Erza asked the old man having just finished her attempted search.

"Nope. Not a single soul. The whole place has been deserted." He told her.

"But if that's the case then why does all the houses have freshly cooked food on their tables?" she questioned then looked down and noticed something, "Hold on, what is that?"

Makarov noticed it too and looked around and saw the crack was in a straight line.

"This isn't an ordinary crack in the ground. It must serve some purpose." She said.

* * *

Natsu and Gray were panting having just got done fighting each other.

Lucy sighed from her place on the floor, "Are you guys done yet?"

"Lucy look, I found a big one!" Happy said holding a big mushroom in his paws.

Lucy looked at it, "Huh? Oh man, It is big. I wonder how long that would last us?"

" _She's an idiot. Seriously Layla, she may be your daughter, but she's an idiot"_ Aquarius thinks.

"Oh man wow! Its huge!" Natsu said, measuring the mushroom with his hands.

"Yeah it's so big we could eat off it for days." Gray said.

"Hmm, looks pretty good." Lucy said crossing her arms.

Happy took a bite out of it. "How's it tastes buddy" Lucy asks.

"It's so yummy!" he said but then the same thing that happened to Natsu, Gray and her happened to him too as mushroom popped out if his head.

Lucy grinned, "Hey! Welcome to the club Happy". In reference to his Mushroom hat.

"I guess that happens to everyone who eats these things, huh?" Natsu theorized.

"I wonder if the villagers knew some way around this problem?" Gray questioned.

"Who knows? Maybe they like the way it looks." Natsu said, laughing at the idea.

"Yeah maybe it'll be in style when we get back to town." Gray chuckled right along with Natsu.

"You think so", Lucy asked taking Gray's comment seriously.

Happy ran away crying, "It's not as funny this time!"

"You don't like your mushroom hat?" she asked.

She then looked to the fire mage, "Whoa, Natsu your mushroom is growing."

"Uhm…" Natsu said.

Happy wailed, "How come he always gets the good gags?!"

* * *

Erza and Makarov were observing the line within the village trying to make an understanding of it.

"This looks just like the other seam." Erza observed.

Makarov nodded.

Out of nowhere they heard what sounded like a roar echoing through the canyon.

"What's that sound?" Erza questioned.

* * *

"You hear that?" Natsu asked.

"It sounds like something's roaring." She said. Out of corner of her eye she saw that the mushrooms on both Natsu and Gray's heads started glowing then fell right off.

"Oh, hey Luce look your mushroom came off!" Natsu pointed out.

"Yours and Gray are too," the celestial mage says pointing back.

"Yay! The mushrooms are gone now!" Happy cheered.

Lucy looked at him, "Our mushrooms may be gone but yours isn't".

"Ah!" Happy yelled, "still not funny!"

The three wizards then ran towards the direction of the village.

* * *

Erza and Makarov noticed that the lines were glowing red the moment they heard the roar.

"Erza! What's going on?" Natsu called out.

They stopped and notice the ground was glowing.

"Be careful Happy." Natsu warned. "Aye sir." Happy said.

Lucy was on alert. Sensing to see if there was anything around them that was planning on popping up and trying to attack them. Her demon slaying powers flared up for a moment having her sense a high amount of black magic. When she looked around, she could see building after building were glowing red and moving back and forth.

"Whoa, what's with this place?" Natsu questioned.

"It looks like the buildings are moving." Lucy observed.

"It looks like the houses are having a dance party huh?" Happy said.

"I don't think so, Happy." Lucy said. _Although that'd be cool._

Makarov looked down at the ground, "It can't be!"

"Get ready to fight gramps." Gray said preparing to use his ice-make magic.

"No wait!" he stopped him.

"What? Why?" Gray asked.

"We need to get to higher ground! There's something I have to check!" he told them.

"Alright guys, let's go! Try to stay close!" Erza said.

They all got to higher ground and saw the buildings transform into monsters.

"Aw man. Looks like we got out just in time." Natsu said.

Erza looked down at the monsters, "Now I see. It was a magic circle."

They all looked at her.

"That's right. Those lines we saw in the village were carved into the ground to form a massive magic circle. A circle used for a type of magic that was banned years ago. A form of sealing magic that is known as…Alive." Makarov explained.

"So, this is what it does? Make nonliving things come to life?" Lucy questioned.

"That's right. It could turn inanimate objects into living creatures. It appears the villagers cast the forbidden spell only to end up being eaten by the very monsters they brought to life." Makarov said.

Lucy crossed her arms, "What would possess them to use magic that's been banned in the first place?"

"This village…was home to a dark guild." Erza said.

Natsu looked at her, "No way." Lucy growled, "Disgusting".

"While investigating, I came across a collection of magic tools tucked away in a shed. Upon closer inspection…I realized they were tools to practice black magic." She explained.

"You're so smart mate" Lucy whispered awed at her investigative skills.

Blushing Erza looked away in embarrassment, letting Master take over in explanation.

"Knowing how reckless dark guilds can be they probably thought up some crazy plan then wound up getting burned in the process," Makarov explained, "But! There's one thing we should be grateful for."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" Natsu asked.

"The dark guild's mischief brought these creatures to life. And most living creatures can be turned into…Food!" Makarov smiled.

"Huh? That's right. They can be turned into food, can't they?" Lucy said realizing he had a point.

Natsu and Gray smirked.

"Now! Time to chow!" Natsu yelled.

"Yeah! I'm right behind you Natsu!" Happy cheered.

"At this point I don't even care what they taste like!" Gray said.

Erza charged at the monsters ready to finally get food in her stomach.

Gray, Natsu, and Happy followed right after them. Lucy, however, chose to stay where she was requesting Virgo's help with something else.

* * *

"Time to get my grub on!" Natsu yelled.

"Save some for me!" Makarov told them still standing at his spot high on the cliff.

Natsu landed on a rock, "Listen up dinner! Before I eat you let me tell you a little secret! I'm an awesome chef and I love to flambé!"

He punched his fists together, Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. He sent a fire punch right at the monster's neck, "Sorry buddy, but your toast!" he said sending numerous punches at the monster.

"Now that he's cooked!" he kicked some rocks down at the fallen monster, "We'll cover 'em up and let 'em steam for a bit." He smiled.

Gray was staring up at another monster with his hands in his pockets, "Normally I'd save dessert for after the meal," he grinned, "But not today."

The two headed monsters charged at him and he went into an ice-make pose ready to strike them down, "Ice-Make: Fishnet!" stretching his hands out he froze the monsters right in their tracks. Crossing his arms, he smirked, "Anyone wanna try a monster popsicle?"

Meanwhile Happy was fighting with a chair, "Even if you're a chair you can't taste worse than a wing fish." He said still fighting with the chair then jumped in the air to avoid getting hit by one of the chairs legs and landed on it holding on for dear life as it ran off with him as an unwilling passenger.

* * *

Lucy was still with Virgo in a matching chef's hat, now with the boar out above a fire she had lit. While Virgo was chopping up some celestial vegetables that she assured multiple times were edible Lucy rotated the meat to make sure it did not burn.

"Erza is going to love the boar meat I'm cooking; don't you think Virgo" Lucy asked Virgo who nodded in agreement.

"I believe so Princess, and if not, I will punish her until she does" the maid says with a serious face. "Thanks Virgo you're the best!"

Giddy at the thought of making Erza smile, Lucy and Virgo continued to cook in tandem, with the maid happy to help with her princess's quest of winning over the knight mages heart.

* * *

Erza stood proud and tall in front of three monsters, "Now then. It's time to start cooking."

Requip " her armor changed making her wear a chef's hat, heart shaped apron, and holding two giant knives in her hands. She was also surrounded knives, ladle, and other utensils. She then sliced and diced the monsters cutting them into bite-sized pieces.

"The trick is to cut them into perfectly bite sized pieces that are five centimeters long and four millimeters wide." Erza said to no one in particular. However up on the cliff Lucy had heard her and relayed the information to Virgo for the vegetables she was cutting. Nodding the spirit followed the instructions.

Makarov sat cross-legged observing them, "I wish they would hurry up. I'm starving here."

"If they're taking too long you can always try some of my food that I'll be gifting to Erza as per courting ritual" Lucy says walking up casually with a plate of meat and vegetables on the side.

"Lucy my dear, you're officially my favorite guild member" Makarov yells while digging in. "Oh my, this is delicious my child!"

* * *

Natsu jumped down from the rock he was standing on and broke a piece of the monster's tentacle off, "Time to dig in."

Erza grabbed a piece of the black sticks and brought one to her mouth taking a bite and chewing it.

"Well it isn't pretty," Gray said holding up a frozen piece if the monster in his hand, "Hope it tastes better than it looks."

Natsu took a bite out of the tentacle and Gray took a bite out the frozen part. Natsu, Gray, and Erza froze.

"Gross!" Natsu and Gray yelled.

Erza said nothing and simply crossed her arms. Inside she was cringing.

Makarov looked at them mid bite "mph- so-mm-how is it kids?"

"What were you thinking gramps?! There's no way we can eat this nasty stuff!" Natsu yelled at the old man. Not noticing the empty plate beside the old man.

Gray had tick marks on his head, "You trying to kill us ya old geezer?!" he yelled.

"True. I would hardly call this edible." Erza agreed, pausing to sniff the air.

Makarov raised a brow, "Really?", wiping his mouth, he shrugs "my bad."

They all looked at the old man but paused when they didn't see Lucy.

"Hey where's Lucy, I could've sworn I saw her right behind us when we were going after the monsters" Natsu points out.

"Indeed, I thought so too". Erza says.

"I'm right here mate, and I have food for you like requested!" Lucy says with a plate full of meat and vegetables.

Natsu and Gray blinked at the girl.

"You've gotta be kidding me! Where the hell did, she find all that and cook it?!" Gray questioned, noticing Erza for once didn't deny being her mate and instead was digging into the plate of food Lucy cooked for her.

"No fair! How come Erza gets to eat?!" Natsu whined.

"It's my duty to supply for my mate Natsu. Erza stated she was hungry, so I needed to feed her" Lucy says seriously. "But don't worry I can make more than enough food for everyone once my beloved gets her fill!" Lucy says with a toothy grin, unaware of the blushing girl beside her who has paused in her eating.

"Alright go Luce!" Natsu says, happy she'll be providing food for them.

"Can't believe I'm saying this but thank god for Erza having a mate" Gray says offhandedly.

"I'll admit, I too am happy that Erza's mate was able to supply us with such a delicious meal" Makarov said, ignoring Erza's reddening face and spluttering denials that her and Lucy were mates.

Once everyone had gotten their plate and their fill from the boar Lucy had killed for Erza, they consider on what to do next. Since they were still lost, and no one was around to ask for direction they had no idea which way to go. Team Natsu and Master were silent, thinking of what to do until Natsu heard Happy screaming, and looked up to see that a monster appeared behind the cat making him scream.

"Look out!" Natsu said punching it in the gut.

"Natsu!" Happy cried out in happiness "You're my best friend, I'm gonna give you a fish once we get home".

Looking around they found themselves surrounded by more monsters.

"Man, these things are nasty." Gray said.

"In more ways than one." Erza commented.

Natsu punched his fists together, "I'm gonna blow you to pieces!" he said, Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

"Ice-Make: Wall!" Gray froze some.

Erza sliced up some monsters with her Heaven's Wheel Armor.

Lucy pulled a gate key out, "Gate of the Golden Bull, I open thee, Taurus!" a ding sound was heard and a cow man carrying a giant axe on his back appeared.

"Moo! Your looking good as usual miss Lucy." Taurus said with hearts in his eyes.

"Thank you, I did just romance my mate. However, that is not why I summoned you. I need your help taking down these monsters," she smirked at her spirit, "You ready?"

He grinned, "Yes ma'am!" she went over to her spirit standing side-by-side, " Lucy and Taurus Celestial Rage!" they both sent a powerful punch to the ground decimating the monsters. Slowly each member of Team Natsu destroyed the monsters before ending up all together again.

Natsu looked up and scowled, "They just keep coming!"

Lucy felt the earth shake, "What the- what's going on now?"

A purple light glowed beneath them showing a magic circle underneath he monsters

"The magic circle!" Gray said. "Are you kidding me?!" Natsu yelled.

"Oh wow, it's so pretty!" Happy said.

"While I agree with you Happy, I don't think this is safe." Lucy told him.

"This is bad." Erza looked around.

The monsters went down beneath the earth, the team thinking it was most likely the work of the magic circle. The ground the team was standing on a crack in it alerting Erza.

"Run for it!" she yelled.

But it was too late by time they were alerted, since the ground gave way and they all fell downwards towards the magic circle.

* * *

Gray, Natsu, Erza, Makarov, and Lucy were walking down the road towards Magnolia after getting directions from the town they were just.

"Man, Luce you sure do know how to cook." Natsu hummed.

"While traveling I never really had the chance to stay in hotels or go to restaurants so most of what I did was hunt. Lucifer was the one who taught me how to cook though." Lucy says proudly boasting her skills in hopes to impress Erza.

"I can't walk another step you guy. I'm so full" Happy said even though he was flying not walking.

"Well good thing you have wings unlike the rest of us, you show off." Gray stared at the cat in envy still full of the meal Lucy made.

Lucy was still confused, "As much as I like the compliments, I'm not sure what just happened back there though".

"Um, master?" Erza asked.

"Yes?" he answered.

"I'm not satisfied with your explanation, sir." Erza said.

"That so?" he said.

* * *

Flashback

"Now spill it! What were you trying to pull?" Natsu demanded.

The female villager spoke up, "We were using the magic circle to cast forbidden spells. But those monsters appeared and took over everyone in town."

"So, the monsters we fought. They were all trapped inside of them?" Erza questioned.

"When you stepped into the circle it activated the spell, and we no longer had any control of ourselves." The male villager explained.

"Hmmm, well you won't have to worry about that happening again." Makarov told them.

The villagers looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean by that gramps?" Natsu asked.

"There's no need to sweat the details my dear boy. Now as for all you villagers you should be grateful that someone came along and freed you from your possession. I assumed you've learned your lesson from this gross misuse of magic and as long it doesn't happen again, I won't report you to the council. Is that a deal?" Makarov said.

"Yes of course. We never want to go through that again. Thanks so much." The female villager bowed.

The male villager bowed as well, "You have our word."

Makarov grinned.

Flashback End

* * *

"When we finally defeated the monsters, it seemed to activate self-destruction spell within the magic circle. That's when you came in. In the blink of an eye you saved us, freed the dark guild from the take-over spell, and destroyed the magic circle before it flattened the village and everyone in it." Erza explained.

Makarov didn't say anything, still thinking of the food Lucy made.

"How did you do it?" Erza asked.

"I'll tell ya someday," he sighed, "But what matters now is…"

"WE'RE STILL LOST!" they all yelled.

* * *

Thanks to all those who commented I really love them. Here's another chapter for now that I hope you like.


	8. The Trial and the Stolen S-class Quests

Era the Magic Council were gathered around to discuss the recent events of the Lullaby incident.

"The Eisenwald guild may have been defeated. But that is only one small victory in a much larger battle" one council member said.

"The number of dark guilds has been growing and at quiet an alarming rate." Another said. "We have to come up with a plan to eliminate them all." Another spoke.

"But how would we do that?" a man asked. "We could always contact her, I mean she was the one who kept Alvarez clear of any dark guilds for three years." Another said.

A tall man with a long beard holding Lullaby in his hands spoke hesitantly, "...Put that idea on the back-burner for now. Our main objective is not allowing Zeref's magic to fall into the wrong hands again."

A short man wearing an orange shirt with long sleeves spoke, "I don't understand how Eisenwald was able to even obtain a tool of forbidden magic like this in the first place."

A man with cat ears answered, "I hate to say it, but the blame may extend all the way to the highest level."

"Whatever the case," a man with blue hair with a red scar on his right eye spoke up, "Although they're usually more of a nuisance, it seems Fairy Tail proved to be quite useful."

A woman with long black hair brought up a sleeve to her mouth and smirked, "They took down an entire guild with a handful of wizards. That is quite a feat."

"From what I heard a good deal of the work was done by a blonde in a white cloak" an older woman voiced.

"Well no wonder there was so much damage done" a man tsked. "It's said that when she fights all that's left behind in her fights is rubble" he said already knowing who they were referring to.

Gasps were heard around the chamber, a few couldn't help but sweat with this new-found knowledge.

Still there were some people on the council that didn't like that Fairy Tail was even involved in the matter and voiced it loudly.

"You may not want to accept it but that's the reality of the situation. In the end the attack on the guild masters was prevented. Lives were spared. And none of us had to give up our hard-earned positions on this council to save face." He stated.

"You fool! Are you insinuating the council is somehow to blame?!" a man wearing a hood and sunglasses accused.

"Enough of this nonsense! Fairy Tail's good deeds are overshadowed by their reckless destruction!" the man with the long bearded stated.

"In any case the guild is way too destructive! And now with the Ishgar Demon there, they're bound to cause even more damage" he yelled.

The blue haired man smirked, "Then why don't we take the opportunity to discuss the matter with them."

* * *

Lucy had just woken up from her nap feeling much more relaxed after that draining mission with Natsu and the others. When she got up, she noticed there was an Icy scent in her apartment, going to follow it she headed towards the kitchen where she found the culprit. "Oh, hi there Gray" the celestial spirit /demon slayer says yawning. Sitting in one of her chairs almost naked solely in his boxers was Gray Fullbuster.

"Hey there" the ice mage said. "Man, you pay 70000 jewels for this place a month? That's dirt cheap."

Lucy nodded facing Gray fully, as she started making some food for herself, "Yeah, I know. So how long have you been there, Gray? pausing before speaking again "And naked"

"I just got here, actually." The ice user grinned. "And I was already naked when I got here. By the way, you wouldn't happen to have a change of clothes, would you? I lost mine somewhere on the way here."

Lucy rubbed the exhaustion away from her eyes. "If you don't mind wearing tight jeans, then yeah I got some clothes for ya." the blonde replied seriously.

Gray thought about it for a moment then shook his head, "Nah I'm okay. Anyways I see you forgot what's happening today".

"Whatcha mean fray?" the girl says with her mouth full.

Gray frowned a bit grossed out but also reminded of a certain slayer who acts the same when he eats, _they could be siblings_ , he thought. Shaking his head Gray says " Natsu, _your teammate,_ he emphasized, challenged Erza, _your mate"_ , he again emphasized, "to a fight once we got back from the Eisenwald mission and it's about to happen."

Dropping her spoon in her cereal Lucy hurried to clean herself up and make it in time to witness the fight between her best friend and her mate.

"I can't believe I forgot" she thought hurrying down the street to where the fight was beginning, Gray following behind.

Lucy pushed Wakaba and Macao out of the way, so she could see the fight, "So they really are going through with it. I can't wait to see how strong my mate is against another slayer."

"Oh, hey Lucy!" Mira greeted.

"Hello, ex-mate" Lucy says smiling, causing Mira to sweat-drop at the greeting.

"Well yeah, those two values their manhood, of course they're gonna go through with it." Elfman said to Lucy.

"Erza's a man?" Lucy asked confused because she could've sworn her demon senses were telling her otherwise. "No matter, I still love Erza" Lucy declared pounding her fist to her chest.

"No Lucy, Erza's not a man. Just ignore Elfman." Mira stated looking to Elfman who was choosing to look away at that moment.

"But ya got to admit she's manly." Macao said, quickly starting to regret his words as he felt himself start to sweat due to the air around him heat up.

"I don't appreciate you calling my mate manly" Lucy said glaring at the older man.

Nodding the man backs away quickly heading to where Levy and Max where standing on the opposite side of the street.

"Hmm", tapping her chin Lucy thought for a moment, "I hope there isn't too much destruction from these two. Having two of the strongest mages here fight doesn't seem like a good idea." Lucy said.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Gray questioned confused at the blonde's words.

"Well I was told you, Natsu and Erza were the strongest wizards in the guild." She stated.

"Really. What idiot fed you that crap?" Gray asked, confused that the blonde didn't realize her rank in the guild.

Mira smiled for a second then proceeded to cry.

"Oh, you're not an idiot Mira." Gray said trying to console her.

Lucy shook her head, "Shameful words to a beautiful lady."

"I'll hand it to Natsu and Gray they're tough guys, but neither of them are even close to being the strongest. There are guys in Fairy Tail who are stronger than the both combined," Macao said walking back, as he looked to Lucy who was ogling Erza.

A small petite woman with blue hair wearing and an orange band in her hair spoke, "But calling Erza one of the strongest women in the guild is a pretty safe bet."

"Levy-chan! Lucy yelled before pouncing on the tiny mage. "I didn't see you for a moment... you know cause you're so small!"

Glaring the girl huffed, before smiling at the dense blonde "missed you to Lu-chan." Then without missing a beat Lucy goes back to Levy's words "So if Erza is one of Fairy Tail's strongest women, who else is there?"

Unsure if she was serious Levy and the others looked at her until she answered slowly "Uh, you Lucy. In fact, you're probably the most powerful wizard we have in all of Fairy Tail since you rank higher than Master in Wizard Saint ranking".

A man with a tall brown hat nodded his head to say "Yeah, that goes for the strongest man too, which would've been between Gildarts or Laxus".

"What really? I didn't think it was that big of deal" trying to remember all that the tree guy who presented her with the title said in regards with the position. "All I remember being told when I got this title was, I could cut people in line at shops with it".

"No Lucy, he said one day you'll be called upon to hold the front line for your people" Loke says chuckling, appearing with a greeting to them all, "Sup everyone", looking back to his master "You would know more if you attended the Wizard Saint meetings, but you don't. So" leaving his sentence hanging.

Lucy laughs at her denseness when she hears Loke recall what she was told. Meanwhile everyone else couldn't help but laugh at their guild mate, while greeting the former guild mate now celestial spirit.

" _For someone so strong she's not that bright,_ they all thought smiling at the blonde they've grown attached to in such a small amount of time.

* * *

" I'll admit I'm pretty psyched to see how this fight turns out." Elfman smiled.

"Oh yeah? I'm sure Erza'll end up mopping the floor with him." Gray said.

"Of course, my mate is strong" Lucy said smiling.

"It's been quite a while since we've squared off like this, hasn't it Natsu?" Erza asked, already getting in a combat pose.

"I was just a little kid back then. Today's gonna be different. Cause I've been training a lot and I'm gonna take you down Erza." Natsu declared. "Plus, Lucy taught me a few moves".

Erza closed her eyes; _Dear Mavis,_ opening them back up she sighed, "Well I'm not going to go easy on you," she said getting ready to requip into one of her armors, "In fact. I have the perfect armor for this occasion." She transformed into one her armors that would be perfect for going against Natsu.

"Flame Empress Armor" Erza said. Transforming into a red and black scaly armor suit Erza readies her stance.

"That's flame empress armor. Good choice against fire magic." Macao said to his group who were looking at him since they had already heard Erza announce the name of her armor.

Gasping Lucy looked to her mate starry eyed, _"she's amazing"_ , the wizard saint thinks. "I've only ever heard of that type of armor from my travels. Fighting against my mate would be much more difficult since my flames would only be a quarter effective" Lucy admits causing most to look surprised at her admittance. "But then again I have my celestial spirits, so it wouldn't really matter" Lucy says still staring at Erza in her armor, causing half the guild to sweat drop.

"Uh, don't you mean half effective, the flame empress armor is supposed to reduce flame attacks by half their power" Levy says weakly.

"No, I meant a quarter. My flames burn far hotter than Natsu's" Lucy says nonchalantly, missing the small looks of awe from her guild mates.

Happy was over by Cana placing bets, "Hmmm, put me down for Erza in the first round."

Lucy looked over to the cat and nodded, "Smart Happy, my mate does have good chances of winning, but then again Natsu is our teammate, so I should have some loyalty to him. But Erza is my mate so I need to always be loyal to her too" Lucy said walking away from the betting table while still trying to figure out who she should fully support.

* * *

Natsu grinned, "Wow, flame empress armor huh? Good news for me," he lit his fists on fire, "That means I can turn the heat as high as I want to!"

"Round one start!" Makarov announced.

Natsu charged at Erza who of course managed to dodge him then went in swinging her sword at him. He then ducked so the flame blade wouldn't hit him. Righting himself, Natsu then sent a flaming kick at her prompting her to block it with her sword. She swung at him again only for him to jump back. To avoid getting hit.

Erza charged at him again while Natsu sent a fire dragon's roar at her making her move out of the way.

Lucy was watching both mages battle jaw dropped, "They're both amazing!"

Elfman smirked, "See? Told ya I'd be a good fight."

Gray frowned, "Tsk, This fight sucks."

Both mages went to charge at each other again until a shrill noise was heard stopping both Erza and Natsu in their tracks and making everyone else cover their ears.

"What the hell is that." Lucy complained annoyed by the disruption of the fight but also the loud noise hurting her already sensitive hearing.

"This fight is over," a humanoid frog wearing robes announced walking towards the two mages, "May I have your attention please, I have come here on behalf of the magic council!"

Levy's eye's widened, sensing something was wrong "No way!"

"Seriously?" the man with the orange hair asked.

The tan man behind him, identified as Max, was also surprised, "Why would the council send her here?"

The humanoid frog brought out along piece of paper, "As a result of the Eisenwald incident, a member of your guild has been charged with eleven counts criminal property damage…S-Class Mage Erza Scarlet! You are under arrest!"

"Huh?! You're putting her under a what?!" Natsu yelled. Moments later the guild followed yelling in protest, but the one who everyone soon realized was the angriest was Erza Scarlets self-proclaimed mate herself, Lucy A.K.A Ishgar Demon, who was seething that she was being arrested at all.

It was as they were handcuffing the scarlet mage that they knew they screwed up but ultimately needed to continue to follow orders, even as the air around them began to heat up to such a high level that the Rune Knights weapons began to melt.

"By, cough, - by order of the magical council we demand", looking around for help from the other guild members but noticing that even they feared what their guild mate had started to do, the frog council member continued to try to speak" "you to stand down or we will arrest you too!"

"How dare you arrest my mate" Lucy growls slowly letting her magic seep through intimidating the rune knights with her show of power.

"Miss, we are just following orders" the frog says shaking.

 _Lucy watch your step, don't get arrested alright, understand what is at stake even if it is for your mate! Aquarius yells._

Closing her eyes Lucy nods, clutching her keys and slowly makes her way towards Erza who was wide eyed at the girl in front of her. Practically suffocating everyone with the heat emitting from her body Lucy walks up to Erza causing the rune knights as well as the council member to get into a fighting stance with their melted weapons.

The entire guild sweat dropping at the thought of Lucy flicking her finger and knocking out all of them in a second. However, she surprised everyone there as she instead walked up to her cuffed-up mate leaning forward and cupping the back of Erza's head causing the older girl to blush and putting their foreheads together.

"Don't worry mate, I'll get you out" letting go and glaring at those arresting Erza, Lucy went away walking off leaving the entire guild silent as well as the council member. As they left Erza was escorted away stunned by what just happened and her heart beating fast.

* * *

After that surprising scene everyone went back inside the guildhall just sitting there wondering why a member of the magic council came to arrest Erza of all people. Some wondering why not Lucy since she seemed to be the more destructive one of the groups.

* * *

Meanwhile Lucy had already made her to the Magic Council building with Loke, one of her most trusted spirits, and was talking outside arguing over her plan.

"Lucy, are you sure you want to do this? I mean there's a chance of getting arrested for interrupting one of their trials and if that happens..."

Waving him off Lucy grins with a wink saying "You guys wouldn't be my spirits anymore but technically if you and the others are okay with my plan then there's no need to worry" Lucy says with a peace sign.

Sighing the lion spirit shakes his head wondering why she just doesn't use gemi-Erza as a distraction to take the real Erza, instead of this ridiculous plan of barging in there and kidnapping her back. _Luce and his goddamn love of theatrics._

"Yes, the other spirits and I agreed we're fine with this since it is for your mate as well as the spirit king", whispering, _somehow you gained his favor, "_ So even if you get arrested because of this stupid plan then we'll still be here for you, once you get out" smiling at his master.

"Great! Now let's go kidnap my mate back" Lucy yells with her fist out running into the magic council building.

 _God, it's just like we're back in Alvarez,_ Loke sighs.

* * *

 **Back at the guild**

"This isn't fair you guys! Let me outta here already!" they heard someone yell.

Mira frowned at the voice, "Natsu! Try to calm down. We don't even know what's happening right now."

Natsu was transformed into a red lizard on the bar counter right next to Gray who was trying to ignore his whining.

"Let me out! Let me out!" he yelled.

Mira shook her head, "No. You'll go on a rampage!"

"No, I won't I swear! Now please just let me out! Let me back to the way I was before!" Natsu yelled.

Mira gave him a disapproving look, "The second we turn you back you'll run off to save Erza."

He looked at her, "Give me a break! I couldn't care less what happened to Erza" the Natsu Lizard says diverting the attention from him for a moment".

"Look even if you wanted to help her it's not like we can face off against the council." Gray frowned. "We can't do anything but wait now".

"But Erza didn't do anything! We all did, Lucy especially" Natsu coughed chuckling.

He looked away, "If the magic council says you're guilty then you're guilty end of story. They don't care what we have to say."

"I just don't get it. We've destroyed plenty of stuff in the past and they never made a big deal out of it." Elfman said.

"Yeah, this just doesn't make any sense" Mira says while wiping a beer mug.

"Which means…that there's another reason for this." Levy said, then looking around she gasped "Uh, oh. you guys" she said slowly looking around the guild for one person in particularly.

"Yeah Levy" Mira answered still trying to shut up Lizard Natsu.

"Where's Lucy?" she said starting to get nervous.

All the sudden the guild went quiet. Everyone began to look around and even Natsu in his cup stopped banging on the glass to look around realizing crap, _Lucy probably went to save Erza too, this is bad._

A few minutes later when no one could account for Lucy's whereabout the guild started to wreak havoc deciding that "yup, now there's going to be two Fairy Tail mages in jail instead of one".

* * *

Side by side, fighting their way through numerous Rune knights were none other than Lucy and her faithful lion spirit Loke. Loke, while reluctant to fight, found their current predicament hilarious since he saw no reason for them to be doing this since Lucy was one of the top 5 Wizard Saints and could've demanded to be taken to where Erza was being held for trial. But then again things were getting boring for him in the spirit world and the Spirit King already granted Lucy a pass if she were to get arrested, so why not take advantage of the moment. Which is how he got caught into following Lucy while she followed the scent of her mate.

"O' regulus grant me your strength! Celestial demon fire punch!" the two yelled while taking down more knights.

"This way Loke! I can smell my mate through this hallway" Lucy yells with a grin, Loke nods unable to hold back his smile towards the hyper celestial spirit/ demon slayer.

" _I'm gonna regret this_ " he thinks.

* * *

A blue-haired teen looked up and smirked at the sight of Erza handcuffed and escorted by a frog messenger.

"Siegrain." Erza scowled.

"Long time no see, Erza." The council member remarked, amused at the messenger's hasty bow. "Relax. This is just a projection. I'm at Era. The old folks behind that door are also mere images. There's no way they would actually come here for such a small case."

"I see." Erza fixed him with a murderous glare. "So, this is your doing."

"Well, that's uncalled for." Siegrain gave an infuriating smile. "I even spoke on Fairy Tail's behalf. The geezers are simply afraid of being held responsible, so they agreed to let you be the scapegoat." "Well actually they wanted that Lucy girl to be it, but since she's a Wizard Saint they thought arresting her would cause bad blood between them".

Erza didn't even try to hold back her laughter at his explanation causing Siegrain to look at her confused.

"What's so funny?"

"First off, you should've just done that in the first place because then you wouldn't have to deal with what's about to happen and Second, I hope you realize you already created bad blood with Lucy as soon as you decided to arrest her...mate" Erza says cringing at her own words but also loving the look on the mans bewildered face.

"What the hell are you talking about" The boy said confused at everything the scarlet mage has just said. "Never mind your weird little mind games. The reason I'm here before the trial is simple." He leaned in close and lowered his voice. "Keep quiet about 'that', understand? It's for your own good."

Looking he nods, "All right." He stepped back and began to distort. "I'll be waiting for you on the other side as a council member." And he blinked out of existence.

Back in Era, the real Siegrain smiled to himself. "I made it all the way here... do not interfere, Erza."

The council leader stood up. "We will now begin the mage trial." A scribe spoke. "Defendant Erza Scarlet, please take the witness stand."

Erza was still glaring at Siegrain, even as she slowly stepped over to the stand.

* * *

"Let me out already!" The lizard yelled again. "Out, I say!"

Makarov sighed already agitated that he had let Lucy out of his sight and now having enough of Natsu's antics. "Are you sure you want to come out?" To the mages' puzzlement, the lizard frowned and stroked its chin in thought.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" Makarov sneered. "Didn't you want to save Erza?" Without hesitation, the old man blasted the glass and lizard with a bolt of magical energy. In a puff of smoke, the lizard transformed into Macao.

The guild was in uproar.

"Sorry." Macao grinned sheepishly, rubbing his head. "I kind of owed Natsu, so I transformed into a lizard and let him run off, while I was pretending to be him."

"Well damn, now Erza's going to jail for sure" Cana chuckled awkwardly drinking from her barrel of beer. Looking around to see everyone else nod resigned to their fates.

"God damnnit are you telling me he went after Erza too!" Gray shouted, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Yeah." Elfman added. "This is no joke! He'll probably try and pick a fight with the council members!"

"Calm down, everyone." Makarov ordered, still sitting on the bar table. "Let's just wait and see what happens." "Besides Lucy's probably already done that, chuckling at his joke before getting slapped in the head by Mira.

"Not funny Master" she says, although she's doing her best to hold back her own smile.

* * *

"Defendant Erza Scarlet." The council leader spoke. "Regarding the terrorism incident with Eisenwald the other day, you are suspected of destroying part of Oshibana station, Clover Canyon's railway bridge, and an entire mansion in Clover Town. According to the testimony we gathered from witnesses, the culprit is a female mage in armor, and so-"

The wall behind Erza exploded.

"Release my mate this instance!" a blonde mage says, red markings covering her right side and a man in a black suit on her left side mouthing an apology. "If anyone should be arrested, it should be me, since I was the one who destroyed most of the council property!' She yelled as she ran up to the Scarlet haired mage grabbing her sides and clutching her close to her, shocking the entire council at her outburst and entrance into the trial.

"Just let it be known if not for my mate and I doing what you should've done, a bunch of people would be dead, right Loke!" looking to her left still alight.

Nodding Loke speaks up "Yup, she's not wrong"

Jaws all around the room dropped, Erza's included. She was slightly embarrassed but also touched at what the blonde was doing for her. She knew the blonde would do something to get her out, but she didn't think it would be anything this drastic. Muttering, "What am I thinking, this is exactly something you would do".

Many were whispering around wondering what she meant by mate, some assuming she just meant guildmate however Siegrain knew the truth and could only stare wide eyed at what was currently happening.

"Oh, not to mention, if you were to arrest my mate when the time arises that you may need me, I'll be looking the other way, that council members is a promise. And as a celestial mage I always keep my promises" she says smiling devilishly at the council members, causing them to sweat.

The council leader slowly exhaled. Unsure of what to do here, on the one hand, this was only supposed to be a quick trial not actually real, but something needed to be done to show they were in control of the Eisenwal situation. Sighing, the man looks to discuss with his colleagues who tell him to look the other way for the sake of keeping the Ishgar Demon on their good side. With all the votes in he raises his gavel knowing what he must do, until he is stopped by numerous bangs.

Coming into the court room breaking down their wall again even though the doors were already broken down was a boy with pink hair that was covered up with a red wig, fake armor, breathing fire.

Once he saw the council members he yelled "I'm Erza, dammit!" "Now tell me what I'm accused of!" Looking to them all angrily "even if what I did was more important than saving all the guild masters lives".

Face flushed, Erza stares to Lucy who is still in her demon force form giving Natsu a thumbs up for his disguise thinking he was in a convincing Erza costume.

A few moments later is when a group of Rune knights have finally gotten the energy to barge in demanding Lucy be arrested for harming numerous Rune Knights and their captains as well as destroying Council property to find her way there.

Raising his gavel and re-evaluating his judgement, the man sighed, before face-palming. "Put them in jail."

Erza bowed to the man. "I'm so sorry about this..."

"Erza!" "Mate!" Natsu and Lucy shouted. "Don't apologize!"

"Idiots, we're most likely going to jail because of the destruction of property and harming you did to the Rune Knights!" pounding their heads together "I was alright!"

The head judge leaned back in his chair and gave another sigh. "What is wrong with these Fairy Tail mages?" He asked himself as the three Fairy Tail mages were led away.

"I would say that could've be worse but honestly I'm not sure it could've." A random council member noticed. Another chimed in "Did anyone know about Erza Scarlet and the Ishgar Demon being "mates"

"God, no. If we had, do you really think we'd have arrested her…we would've gone for Gray Fullbuster"

"Hmm, but that just leaves the question...Did we do the right thing if it meant her turning the other way during our time in need?" one council member asked sagely.

"What are you talking about?" a woman asked.

"Fools, she said it herself. She's a celestial spirit mage and they always keep their promise. When we need her most, she will turn the other way because of your pettiness. Destruction of property or not she was just protecting her mate." the man says before signing off, leaving the council thinking of what they may have just done.

* * *

"Words fail me." Erza glared at Natsu and Lucy, the latter just lying on the ground eating celestial food. "This thing was just a formality."

Natsu's jaw dropped. "Formality?"

Lucy spit her food out "They arrested my mate to save face". Growling the girl went to burn the bars down and give those pretentious fools a piece of her mind until she felt a hand on her arm and a glare that managed to send shivers down her spine.

"Sit. Now" Erza commanded. "Yes mate" Lucy nods sitting down immediately.

"Anyways, the arrest was just a facade." The armor-clad girl explained. "The council needed to assert their authority to prove they were keeping us in check."

"I don't get it." Natsu said trying to figure out what Lucy had before him, surprisingly.

"It's simple." A tick mark appeared on Erza's forehead. "It means that I would have been declared guilty, but I wouldn't receive any punishment. If you two hadn't shown up, I'd have been home by now."

"EEEEEEH?"

"I'm sorry mate, really" Lucy said looking down in shame.

Erza gave a soft smile. "I won't say it's alright, but I do appreciate the gesture."

"You and Lucy are mates, I can't believe I didn't realize that Lucy would've already come for you" Natsu laughed.

"I'm not her mate" Erza deadpanned." But still, thank you for your help Lucy".

"No problem mate!" Lucy said ignoring Erza's earlier words.

* * *

"Woohoo!" Natsu cheered, holding up a mug of something that appeared to be on fire. "Freedom is awesome!" He then proceeded to charge across the guild hall, dodging beer kegs and Cana's cards as he went. "Freedom!"

Elfman glanced at the rampaging boy. "Say, now that Erza's back, what about that manly duel between her and Natsu?"

"Oh yeah!" Natsu skidded to a stop. "I forgot about that! Hey, Erza! Let's finish our fight!"

"I'm busy, Natsu." Erza muttered, not even glancing at the boy as she continued to eat her cake.

"Here I come!" Natsu shouted, igniting his fist and flying at Erza. The redhead sighed ready to smash him in the face when he was hit by a golden fist. The guild members gaped as the boy flew across the room and embedded himself in a wall, completely knocked out looking to see Lucy standing in front of Erza protectively.

"And you're out! Aye!" Happy cheered.

"Are you okay Erza, I heard you telling Natsu you were busy, so I figured I would take care of him for you" Lucy said smiling happily at the red head, garnering attention from everyone.

Mira couldn't help but smile at the scene, before hearing Makarov grunt. "What's wrong, Master?"

"I'm getting sleepy." The man observed. "It's him. He's coming."

"Ah." Mira nodded, before collapsing asleep to the floor. Her example was swiftly followed by all the other mages.

A man with every part of his body covered in black cloth stalked in, ignoring the sleeping bodies.

"Mystogan." Makarov greeted him, having resisted the sleep magic. The man's eyes, his only visible feature, narrowed as he scanned the mission request board. Finally, he took one notice off and showed it to Makarov on his way out. "I'll take this one."

He was almost out of the guild before he was turned back around and hit "Celestial fire demon punch!"

"Lucy what the hell are you doing!" Master yelled awed that the girl was still awake and fighting a guild member. Slowly getting up Mystogan shook away his dizziness to see who hit him with such force, only to see a tall blonde surrounded by fire with a panicked look on her face.

Looking back to the master in panic and the man covered in all black Lucy started to seeth. "This man knocked out my mate and now she won't wake up". Letting out even stronger flames Lucy gets closer to Mystogan pulling him up by his cloak "Why won't my mate wake up!"

"Lucy please calm down" trying to ease the wizard saint, "His name is Mystogan. He's an S-Class wizard just like Erza, but he doesn't come to the guild all that much."

Noticing that she wasn't calming down any he continued "When he does, he puts a sleeping spell on everyone so as not to be seen." "The only time he does come is to get a job request then he leaves right after that." He explained.

Looking back to the master and then to Mystogan she slowly set down the other mage while Loke, and Aquarius came out to calm down their master, "I understand." She said.

Mystogan walked away wearily while staring at Lucy intrigued that she was able to stay awake. When she saw he was still looking she looked away while apologizing for her attack "Sorry, bout that. I'm Lucy a new member of the Fairy Tail guild. Erza's my mate and I just got worried when she wouldn't wake up when you walked in".

Mystogan nodded, "It's alright and I apologize for scaring you." He then looked at the master, "I shall return."

Makarov nodded, "Lift your sleeping spell before you leave."

"Five." Mystogan started counting off as he headed for the exit. "Four. Three. Two."

He was already outside the building when he finished. "One."

Immediately after that, every eye in the guild snapped open.

"What the..." Gray rubbed his head. "Was that Mystogan?"

Indeed, it was, and he just got to meet our newest member" Makarov said shaking his head at her antics. When he looked to where she was, he saw her being pushed away half heartily from a semi-reluctant knight mage who was reassuring her she was alright, and nothing happened to her while she was asleep.

"Are you sure you're alright mate, your head hit the table when you fell" Lucy asked concerned, "Anything you need I can get you".

"No, I'm fine please just", sighing Erza says "sit down and be quiet".

"I can do that!"

"Wait seriously, Lucy saw Mystogan?" Natsu said surprised, at his teammate.

"Yes, although I wouldn't say she gave him the warmest of welcomes".

"He knocked out my mate, what was I supposed to do?" Lucy says before getting a look from Erza that says, "what did I just say" and going back to being quiet.

" For some reason Mystogan hates being seen." Gray explained unnecessarily. "So, whenever he shows up to get a job, he puts everyone here to sleep. That's why Master is the only one who's seen his face" Looking at the quiet blonde he corrected himself "well was the only one to see his face".

"Not quite." A smug voice commented. "I know what he looks like as well."

Heads turned to see Laxus leaning on the second-floor railing and sneering down at them.

"Another one of our strongest members." Gray grumbled.

"Mystogan is just really shy." Laxus continued. "Don't hold that against him."

"Laxus!" Natsu jumped forward. "Fight me!"

"Didn't Lucy just beat you up?" Someone in the back asked.

"He's right." Laxus smirked. "If you can't even win against someone like blondie, what chance do you stand against me?"

"I mean, to be fair Laxus I don't think you stand much of a chance either" Mira murmured.

" It's simple really." Laxus says spread his arms out not acknowledging Mira's words and laughed. "I'm the strongest!"

"Get down here, you bastard!" Natsu growled insulted at being called weak.

Laxus laughed at that. "Well, why don't you come up?"

"Bring it on!" Natsu charged towards the staircase, only to get slammed into a wall by Makarov's giant hand.

"Natsu." Makarov started. "You don't get to go to the second floor. Not yet."

Laxus chuckled at that. "Ha ha, you got scolded."

"You stop as well, Laxus."

The man straightened up. "I'm never handing over my position of Fairy Tail's strongest to anyone. Not to Erza, not to Mystogan, Not Gildarts. Not even to that old geezer. I'm the strongest!"

"uh Laxus I think you're forgetting someone" someone said aloud.

"What, and who the hell is that?" Laxus grumbled angrily to the mage who interrupted him.

"Me" Lucy says finally acknowledging herself as one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail, but only after being told by her guild mates numerous times..

"Oh, really if you're so strong then why aren't you an S-class mage" Laxus taunts, not realizing Lucy was a Wizard Saint.

Gasping Lucy looks away, "damn it you're right, I'm not a S-class mage only a Wizard Saint" causing the entire guild to sweat drop at the girl she continues, "so I guess I'm not the strongest here..shoot " walking away Lucy goes to Happy who pats her back and offeres her a fish which she takes to console her in not being the top mage.

"That's right because I'm the strong- Wait what!" Laxus says choking on his words. Confused he looks to the blonde who is in the corner of the guild saddened, to see if she was just taunting him about her status or really just that dumb to not know how high her rank was…" _She's just that dumb_ , he thinks before zapping himself away. Once gone Levy and the others walk over to Lucy who is eating again.

"Lucy you do realize that your Wizard Saint rank is far higher than S-class, right" Mira says.

"Oh really, shoot I thought I had to be S-class too... these statuses are so confusing. This is why I liked just living in the forest and beating people up like Luce" she says shrugging and going back to eat causing everyone to face palm at the girl's reaction.

 _She's so strong but so, so dense, they all thought._

* * *

It isn't till later that Lucy officially gets bored and begins wandering around the guild. When she nears the second floor only for S-class mages she remembers something Mira said, "Wizard Saint beats S-Class" and decides to go right up while no one is really paying attention.

" _Princess know that we love you but that was a horrible horrible paraphrase of what Mira told you" Virgo said._

"Semantles". Lucy says with a wave of her hand.

Going up Lucy stares at all the requests with high paying jewels scanning them over and finding one perfect for her magic and deciding when Natsu comes over she'll invite him on it.

 _2000000 jewels to rid a demon cult from a small town in Stella,_

Walking out of the guild Lucy couldn't help but feel happy to leave on such a high paying quest with her teammate. Once she reached her apartment her grin widened upon catching the scent of Natsu and not having to wait to tell him the news of their next quest till morning.

Lucy opened the door to her apartment to see not only Natsu but Happy exercising.

"Natsu, Happy I'm glad you're here, but why are you exercising right now?"

"Oh, hey." Natsu puffed, doing sit-ups. " It's obvious isn't it? I have to get stronger to defeat Erza, Laxus, and you." Natsu explained. "So, we're gonna stay here all night with you training us to get as strong as you!"

"Alright! Let's do it!" Lucy yelled before remembering something. "Oh, wait before I do, I have something to show you".

"OH, so do Happy and I" Natsu said as he stood from his sit up to make his announcement.

"I've made my decision. Our team is ready for the big time. S-Class." He grinned, knowing with his teammate by his side they could take on even an SS-class.

Happy brought out an S-Class job sheet and showed it to her, "Yeah, check it out!"

Lucy shook her head, "Aw man and here I was gonna show you the S-class mission I wanted to go on with you guys" Lucy pouted showing her high paying mission.

"Whoa, how'd you get this" Natsu asks surprised his teammate would take such a high class job.

"I went up the stairs and took it" she shrugs.

"Wow so did I." Happy said high fiving their teammate, but also thinking how irresponsible the master is at not keeping an eye on the S-class missions better.

"Hmm, these are both good jobs, but since it's our first I think we should go for the one with the smallest reward we found on the board. But hey, 7 million is still a lot of jewels!" Nastu grinned.

" I don't know, I mean the one I chose seems more suited for me and it's just a demon cult we'd be dealing with." Lucy tried reasoning.

"Yeah, that's true. But look here Lushie there's a gold key that's part of the reward for the quest we chose!" Happy says trying to win over their teammate.

"Whoa! Alright it's settled Natsu we're doing yours first and who knows maybe Master we'll be super proud of us for completing this and grant you the title S-class!" Lucy says starry eyed.

"Ya think so" Natsu asked his best friend just as happy.

"Heck yeah! Now where's the place where going to"

"It's on a cursed island called Galuna Island." Happy said.

She grinned preparing herself for her first major quest with her team, "Let's get changed and then we'll go."

"Yay!" they both cheered and hugged her, "You're the best Luce!"

"Go on and get what you guys need and I'll meet you on the port". She told them.

"Yes ma'am!" they saluted and went out the window. Shaking her head, she went to find a change of clothes.

* * *

 **Morning at Fairy Tail**

"Master! I don't know what's happened. But two of the S-Class requests are missing." Mira cried out with worry as she ran down the stairs.

Makarov drank some of his coffee then spit it right back out. _Dear Mavis, help me._

* * *

 **Hope you guys like this chapter! Almost to Galuna Island. also how would you guys feel about a filler chapter about Lucy going over the steps of her courting ritual for Erza and then performing one or two with a couple of the guildmates. You can choose who she's telling, so like Nastu and Gray or Levy and Mira.**


	9. How to court your mate: by Luce

**This was my original draft and I couldn't help but post it after someone's comment so I hope you like it. I really did.**

* * *

Listen carefully Lucy for these are the most important rules to follow when courting your mate" Luce says making sure his apprentice is paying attention.

Tilting her head Lucy looks to her adopted parental figure confused, "What's a mate and why am I courting them?"

Choking Aquarius begins to laugh as she looks to the dumbfounded demon who realizes that he skipped a few lessons and never explained what a mate was. Sighing the demon sets the chalkboard he had the mermaid bring out on fire and requests a new one, the mermaid giving a look at the dumb demon for not just erasing what he wrote.

Facepalming at his mistake the demon looks to his little demon "Let me start over. If there is one thing that dragon and demon slayers have in common it is that we both have mates". Making sure the girl is following Luce continues "Now what is a mate you might ask, well they are lifelong partners whom you will want to be with forever. Yes, Lucy it sounds insane", looking at the wide eyed girl, " But there will come a time when your inner demon will start to call out to someone close to you, or not, in fact could be a total stranger , and when you see them you will stop at nothing to claim them" Luce finishes.

"Claim them" Lucy says, "What does that mean?" the blonde slayer in training asks.

Clapping Luce pats the girl head, "Excellent question, this is just a byproduct of one part of the mating ritual you will be taking part in. You see the mating process begins as soon you lay eyes on your mate and a fire begins to burn in your chest," dramatically pounding his chest, "calling out to the other person. When that happens, you will give them this bracelet", handing an intricate beaded bracelet to Lucy, Luce talks again, "and once you put that on them then you will have officially started the mating process, at least on your side. This means no one else can try and take his or her, whichever you prefer, hand away from you. If they try you can fight them to the death." Luce finishes grinning devilishly.

Nodding starry eyed at the prospect of one day getting a "mate" Lucy packs the bracelet in her pouch Luce made for her. "So what else do I need to do to win over my mate?" Lucy asks.

Happy that his little demon is catching on so quickly he starts to write down very messily the steps to courting her mate.

"After you have put on the bracelet is when the courtship begins, which comes in 5 simple steps". The demon says as he writes them down on the replacement chalkboard Capricorn brought out, since Aquarius was too stubborn to do it. _Tsk you burnt the last one so you can write your stupid mating lesson in the dirt._

How to court your mate in 5 simple steps: By Lucifer

 _Step 1 The best way to your mates' heart is a homemade meal. We do this for a bunch of reasons, it shows you can provide for them, and you show off mate worthy skills to them like hunting and cooking._

This is an important step though Lucy. When presenting the homemade meal, you must make sure that it is something they desire, such as a favorite dessert or, or perhaps a human soul. Can't go wrong with a human soul" Luce says to his child, making sure she is writing everything down.

"Okay, homemade meal, mate worthy skills, human soul, favorite dessert. Check Luce" Lucy says giving a thumbs up, "what's next?"

* * *

 _Step 2 Giving a gift helps show your mate you are thinking of them, especially if it is something that reminds them of you. However, do not be lame Lucy, make sure it will be something useful for them._

"Don't be lame, give gift that reminds my mate of me and is useful" smiling Lucy gives the go head for the next step, missing Luce's facepalm at the girls shortening of his courting ritual.

* * *

 _Step 3 Scenting. This is important because you will need to mark your scent on their things to make sure others know they are yours. Do things like…throwing your arm around them so your scent lingers on them or go find where they live and mark your scent everywhere._

"Mark my mate with my scent, nuzzle them, break into where they live and mark scent everywhere" Lucy quotes.

Sweat dropping the demon pauses in his lesson, "Now hold on I never said break into their house, I just said go in and mark your territory…".

Nodding in understanding Lucy crosses out her previous writing and puts in sneak into house and mark my territory. When Lucifer reads this, he decides to move on knowing a lost cause when he sees one, but the encouraging adoptive father he is he gives her a thumbs up, receiving a smile.

* * *

 _Moving onto Step 4. At this point you and your mate should be comfortable with each other so you should be showering them with affection._

"What do you mean by showering them with eff-ek-tion" Lucy says trying to spell out what he is writing. Am I supposed to shower her with something?" Lucy asks confused.

Sighing the demon shakes his head, "No little demon, you show her how you feel with body contact. Any will do. My mate enjoyed when I nuzzled her neck though" he says smiling.

"Nuzzle neck, make lots of body contact" Lucy grinned with a thumbs up," this is good stuff Luce I'm gonna make my mate so happy".

"I know you will little demon, however we haven't gotten to the most important step yet and this is by far the most important so pay close attention",

Sitting up Lucy puts her pen to the journal Capricorn gave her ready to write down what Luce says.

* * *

 _Step 5 of courting your mate is the final step and the most important. This is the mark. This will show all slayers and regular humans that your mate is claimed, and no one can touch them._

"The mark "Lucy gasps. "Really is important. So, what do I do to give it to my mate?"

"Listen carefully. This is when you bite their neck to show everyone, they are yours officially. And so long as they have officially accepted you as your mate then a marking will appear on their neck showing they have been claimed by you" Lucifer finishes explaining.

Smiling Lucy writes down everything Lucifer has told her about mating, so she is prepared. She honestly can't wait for the day she meets her mate and they begin the courting ritual. Looking to Lucifer she promises him to obey all his steps word for word.

* * *

"I'm not done little demon" Luce says smiling.

"Really, what else is there?" Lucy asks confused on what else is to be done.

"In order for the mating ritual to be fully completed you and your mate must sleep together" chuckling at his child's red face he continues, "And yes I mean that kind of sleep. Only then will the mating will officially complete" he finishes.

Hiding her face Lucy completes everything her demon has said powering through her embarrassment. "Even though the final step is really embarrassing I won't skip any steps Luce!" Lucy yells with a determined face.

"I know you won't, now any questions before we get to the next lesson about mating season" Luce says with a smile.

"We-we're not done" Lucy whispers.

"Nope" Luce pops, "This lesson is almost as important as courting your mate" he explains.

Seeing the confused face on Lucy he burns the chalkboard for Capricorn to bring another one out.

"You see Lucy once a year dragon and demon slayers go through these animalistic urges while trying to find their mate" nodding to see Lucy writing this down he continues "most slayers hole themselves up during these times".

Raising her hand Lucy asks the demon why," Why is that, wouldn't that be the best time to find their mate?"

Nodding his head in approval at the question "It could be, but really during mating season for demon slayers our only thoughts are to sleep with anyone we can to get rid of our more animalistic side, so even if we did find our mate we'd be going out of order for courting them and that would be a no-no, that's not to say you can't sleep with anyone during mating season because you will be in some pain, you just need to make sure that there is no connection whatsoever."

Seeing her shake her head in acceptance she rights down his directions for mating season. "Okay, how do I do that, though?" Lucy says confused.

Shrugging Luce looks to Lucy and explains "Easy, outside of mating season whoever you feel no connection to just tell them you'll be sleeping with them soon and boom you'll be going through mating season without having to experience any pain".

"Wow that's a great idea, Luce!" Lucy says before being knocked forward from a slap on the head.

Looking to see who the culprit was she sees her first and most trustworthy spirit Aquarius floating above her with a tick mark on her forehead "Honestly you two are idiots, I mean the fact you think that would work." Glaring at Lucy who shrunk into herself.

Then looking to Lucifer who was looking away whistling "And you, stop corrupting Lucy by telling her to sleep around during mating season you dumb demon".

"I'm not corrupting her I'm preparing her for mating season you dumb fish!" Lucifer yells back to her the two preparing to fight, Lucy backing away as she finishes writing Luces notes, "Find someone to sleep with that I don't know or like during mating season".

When the two have finished and are out of breath from their fight Aquarius glares at Lucy muttering a "brat" leaving a smile on Lucy's face.

"Now then I believe we have covered all the basics any questions before we hunt for dinner.

"Uh, oh yeah earlier you said I would do anything to claim my mate, what did you mean by that?" Lucy asks as she flipped back to earlier pages.

Chuckling Luce looks to Lucy, "Simple. No matter how much your mate denies you, you will continue to court them until you break them down and they realize that they too have feelings for you deep down in them. We demons are relentless in the matter of winning over our mates" he says laughing, "Remember Lucy you are the daughter of the strongest demon in all of Earth land, if you are denied by your mate tell me what you will do!"

"Continue to court them until I win them over", Lucy yells jumping up with a fist pump.

"That's right my little demon!" Lucifer says laughing then putting Lucy on his back and going to hunt for lunch," Denial is just a mate's way of playing had to get!"

* * *

"Wow, so that's why you haven't taken Erza's denial to heart" Levy says intrigued by Lucy's retelling of the courting ritual.

"That is actually kind of romantic" Mira says while wiping down the bar.

Nodding her head Lucy sips her beer, "Guess so. I'm just not a fan of mating season".

"What, haven't had any luck with finding anyone to sleep with you Lucy" Macao yells, laughing around with Cana.

Sighing Lucy nods with her head in her hand, "Nah, I mean there were plenty of people who volunteered to do it when I asked them in Alvarez, actually they seemed pretty eager, which I guess since I helped get rid of a good deal of their Dark Guilds there, they saw it as a way to maybe reward me", she says lazily waving her hand and sipping her beer missing out on the awed look on her friends facing before continuing, " It's just how much energy you have to use when sleeping with –

"Okay enough talking about this subject there are kids here" Macao yells covering Romeos ears who stares at Lucy starry-eyed, _She's so cool_ , he thinks.

"Jeez Lucy, You were pretty young to be doing that weren't you?" Levy asked laughing awkwardly.

Shrugging "Not really. I mean I was fifteen and I was there till eighteen, counting on her fingers, "and in Alvarez the mages there were very open minded and helpful during my mating season seeing as I was helping them with their dark guild problem sooo- "Lucy trails off looking away.

The entire guild now listening in goes silent, jaws have dropped, beers spilled, glasses broken, and members feinted over what they've found out.

"You mean to tell me you slept around during your travels" Cana says with a shit eating grin.

"Well not technically, it was only for a month and I was usually invited to their houses or palace the entire time. After that it was back to my cave" Lucy pouts.

"Pa-palace?" Mira says.

"Just who the hell did you screw Lucy?" Cana says even more intrigued by the girl's backstory.

"Uh, not that many people. There were just two girls with crowns and a lot of jewelry, that one son of the mayor. Those two sisters and", pausing for Loke, "Oh thanks Loke, I forgot about her, she was a queen, that one was a maid for that queen, and a baker" Lucy finishes ticking off the people.

Laughing the guild begins clapping for the blonde, impressed with this knowledge, until Erza walks up causing everyone to disperse and go back to their other activities.

"So, you've had other partners" she says seriously, and somewhat hurt at this new knowledge.

"Uh, yes?" Lucy answers confused.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know I had too?" the slayer says confused, "Is that something I'm supposed to do before I try to claim you, tell you who I slept with" Lucy says biting her lip with a confused look.

Erza looks to the celestial mage/demon slayer slightly angry at this news however she brushes it aside when she realizes she shouldn't care because she doesn't even want to be her mate.

"No, because I'm not your mate and you can't claim me when I keep telling you to stop". Erza says venomously, "Just stop making a fool of yourself and move on".

Surprising the entire guild when they hear Erza speak so roughly to the kind hearted, slightly dense slayer whose looks slightly hurt.

For once Lucy doesn't says anything with the entire guild watching. Luce told her to never stop pursing your mate no matter how many times they tell you no, and she promised him before he disappeared, she wouldn't, which is why when she walks out of the guild head low, she surprises everyone including Erza.

Looking around Erza sees the looks of disappointment she is receiving from everyone. Walking up to her is Mira, Levy and Cana all whom look like they have something to say to her.

"Did you really have to be so harsh to Lucy, Erza? The girl's been nothing but sweet to you and you go and yell at her like that" Mira says shaking her head.

Clenching her fist Erza looks away while Cana speaks "Yeah Erza, if you were really mad about Lucy sleeping with all those people you could've just spoken to her about that, I mean did you even listen to her earlier speech about courting you" Cana says before walking off.

"No but-"

"Lucy really liked you, the ritual to courting you was really long and tedious but she was willing to do it because her inner demon says her lifelong mate was you Erza, sighing Levy continues " The only reason she slept with those other people was because during mating season it can be painful for demons to be alone, and besides she chose people she had no emotional connection too". Levy finishes walking off leaving Erza to her own thoughts.

While sitting alone Erza thinks about what she did, and why she feels so bad about rejecting the demon slayer so harshly, _I don't even care for her like that. So why do I feel so bad that I may have broken Lucy's heart_ , she thought.

* * *

 **A week later**

"I'm really worried about Lucy" Mira says looking around the guild to see hardly anyone doing anything.

"I know she hasn't been seen for days, not even Natsu has seen her" looking to the corner of the guild to see a downtrodden Natsu trying to be consoled by Happy and Gray sitting opposite looking far off.

"Man, Erza really screwed Lucy up, didn't she?" Cana said not even sipping from her barrel of beer.

Sighing Mira nods. The atmosphere of the once boisterous guild was now dark and morose. "Lucy may have been a little dense, but her spirit really changed the guild from the short amount of time she was here"."Erza's words must've really effected her".

"I'm worried for my child" Master says sipping from his mug worried for Lucy, not even he was aware of her departure. Then looking to the far corner of where a knight mage was looking down at an uneaten piece of strawberry cake.

* * *

 **With Lucy**

"Princess don't you think you should've told the guild where you were going" Loke says to his master.

Taking a pause of what she was doing Lucy turns to her spirit with a toothy grin, "I mean yeah, but Luce always said spontantatiy was a sure-fire way to win back your mate when the going gets tough" going back to her previous job.

"That damn demon" he mutters "Okay, but what are you even doing?" he asked.

Stopping again Lucy turns around blood covered fists dirt all over her face and a new scar covering her face from monster she just faced. "It's said that there is a strawberry up through this mountain so delicious that one taste from it will make you cry" looking to Loke "Erza's favorite dessert is strawberry cake if you hadn't noticed, and I plan on getting it to make her a cake".

"Th-that's it" Loke says, baffled at her going through so much to just make a simple cake.

"No, after we are heading to this location where I heard there is a requip lightning outfit available only to those who can defeat this dark guild" Lucy says showing the location.

"Lucy, for Mavis sake that location is in Bosco!" Loke yells.

Nodding she goes back to punching the rock with her celestial fire punches, alongside Taurus "I know which is why need to get the strawberry fast so we can head to Bosco quickly. I can't make the cake until after I get the outfit, or the cake will go bad." Lucy says with a fire in her eyes.

Rolling his eyes Loke admits defeat at the fact his master will continue this job with or without his help and begins punching through the mountain towards the strawberry. Once they reach the point, she requests he holds it in the spirit world to keep it fresh as she journeys to Bosco.

* * *

 **One month later**

"You did this Erza, you made Lucy leave" Natsu yelled with unshed tears in his eyes, "She was my best friend and you pushed her away!"

"Natsu stop!" Mira says trying to calm the dragon slayer down.

"No!, All Lucy wanted was Erza to accept her claim but Erza was too stubborn , instead she pushed the coolest person to walk into this guild away" falling to his knees, Natsu whispers " I found someone who was just like me, that could relate to what I went through and you pushed her away Erza" finally tears fall breaking the entire guilds heart including Erza's.

"I-I'm sorry Natsu, I-I didn't mean too, I was just jealous about Lucy sleeping with other people-

"So! It's what slayers do; how could you be so petty over something she needed to do so she wasn't in pain for a whole month!" Natsu yelled at the Scarlet haired mage keeping the attention of the entire guild, which caused no one to notice the guild doors opening revealing a blonde in tattered clothes with a new scar on her face covered in the same untouched white cloak.

"Natsu, why are you yelling at my mate?" Lucy asks casually, causing Natsu and Erza to stop their argument and the entire guild to turn around and look at the banged-up blonde.

"Luce...is that you?" Natsu asked tears in his eyes at seeing his best friend in a month.

Checking herself Lucy taps her arm double checking then looks to Natsu and grins "Yup it's me, Natsu!"

Tackling the girl onto the floor Natsu hugs her yelling at her at the same time for disappearing then questioning her.

"Where the hell did you go Lucy, you've been missing for a month, no one could find you when we were looking, and you didn't even leave a note?" Gray asked.

Looking away Lucy stares at Erza who looks away guiltily, "Well remember when Erza told me to give up on claiming her or even being her mate because I was embarrassing myself"

"Yeah"

"Yup"

"Hard to forget that rejection"

The entire guild says turning to look at the person who rejected the kind-hearted mage.

"Well", puffing up her chest, "I was taught by the strongest demon in all of Earthland that no matter how many times I get rejected to never give up and to pursue them until I wear them down" Lucy says with a toothy grin.

"After Erza rejected me I realized I wasn't trying hard enough so I went out and searched for some stuff that could win her over and, Virgo?"

In a flash of light, a maid spirit popped up with two boxes "Here you go Princess, good luck" then disappearing Lucy turned back to the guild." When I realized my advances weren't working, I first traveled to Stella for the best Strawberry in all of Earthland so I could make my mate's favorite dessert Strawberry cake"

"Aww" half the guild said.

"After I finished getting the strawberry, I headed to Bosco to fight this dark guild for a requip lightning suit to show my mate how much I'm willing to go through to get a gift which will remind her of me and is something she will be able to use "throwing a wink to Levy and the others.

The guild filled with silence, no one was able to speak at the amazing feat the girl was able to accomplish.

"Luce, are you telling me you spent the last month traveling for stuff to give to Erza, and after she rejected you?" Natsu said incredulous.

"Yup, Luce told me denial is just a mate's way of playing hard to get." Winking over at Erza who was looking at the gifts Lucy set in front of her.

"Well damn, why couldn't Lucy choose me for a mate" Cana said, slightly jealous.

"It's not me who chooses the mate Cana, it's my inner demon" Lucy says pounding a fist to her chest.

Walking up to Erza she slings an arm around the mage smiling "I'm sorry I slept with so many people", looking down "I promise you'll be the only one I sleep with during mating season which is great since it's coming up soon!" Lucy says to a blushing Erza who was stuttering excuses as to why she wouldn't be available those days.

"Not to worry I'll make sure Mira clears your schedule when the time comes" Lucy says with a toothy grin. The entire guild laughing at the Scarlet hair mage and the oblivious Wizard Saint.

* * *

 **Thank you for the comments and reviews. Each one makes me want to continue this and let's me know I'm doing something right. I'll have the next chapter up soon.**


	10. Galuna Island

"Mira, please tell me you meant to only say _one_ S-Class quest is missing" Makarov said clutching his chest thinking he might've been feeling the symptoms of an oncoming heart attack.

"I'm sorry master, but no, _Two_ of the S-Class quests are missing. I don't know what happened" Mira cried out with worry as she ran down the stairs.

"Say what?! How the hell did two of the jobs from the second floor go missing?! Wakaba yelled.

"The jobs up there are S-Class quests. Anyone know who took off with it?" Macao asked looking around the guild for people to speak up.

"Well it's either someone really strong or really stupid." Laki theorized.

Laxus grinned, "Oh, I know exactly who took them, and your right about them being really stupid wood girl."

"Laxus, tell me right now who it was!" Makarov yelled sweating already.

The entire guild went silent looking up the stairs to see Laxus grinning, waiting for him to tell them who the culprit was.

He grinned "Well the first one to come up here and take a quest was that blonde chick who claimed to be a wizard saint, and the second one was a little blue cat who flew up here and ripped another off the board."

Mira looked at him, then face palmed like the rest of the guild "Oh god it was Lucy and Happy".

"Lucy must've stolen it without thinking she needed to be S-class" someone said.

"And I'd give anything she was planning on taking Natsu and Happy on it since they're a team" Macao said.

"Yeah, and I bet Happy must have stolen the other one for Natsu and Lucy too, not knowing Lucy already took one." Someone said.

"That's crazy! What're they thinking?" someone asked.

"It's Lucy and Natsu, from what we've seen they don't think" Cana slurred those around her nodding.

"Well, they've got some nerve taking on an S-Class quest." Alzack said.

"I don't know if I'd call it nerve, but it's definitely dumb." Bisca commented.

"I mean not really, Lucy's a wizard Saint if anyone's qualified to take on one of the S-class quests it's her. Really with Lucy by his side I'd say the two have good odds of getting the job done" Levy says cringing when Laxus glares at her.

"Shorty's words aside, that's a serious breach of rules, isn't gramps! A stunt like that will get ya kicked out the guild! Am I right?! Not that it matters! It's not like those three losers are gonna make it back alive from the two quests they took." Laxus smirked.

"I mean I don't know, Lucy's seriously strong if the stories of her travels are true" someone whispered. Another nodding.

Mira frowned at him, "Laxus! If you knew why not stop them?!"

"Tsk. Lighten up, I figured the Wizard Saint would at least be smart enough to not break the guild rules after such a short time being here and as for the damn cat, I saw a blue blur flying off with a piece of paper trying to act all sneaky. I had no idea it was Happy. How was I supposed to know Natsu would actually break guild rules."? He smirked.

Mira gave him the angriest glare anyone's ever seen before.

"Hmph, you haven't given me that look in a while."

Makarov groaned, not at all happy with this news, "This is far from good. Mira, tell me which jobs those two idiots took".

"Well, it seems they took lifting the curse on…Galuna Island." Mira said cringing and defeating a demon cult in Stella".

"What, are those idiots in insane?!" Makarov yelled.

"Galuna Island?!" Macao and Wakaba cried out in shock.

"Demon Cult!" Laki yelled.

"They're even dumber than we thought!" Alzack & Bisca yelled. Cana meanwhile spit out her beer shocked at the two missions the slayers had chosen.

"Laxus! Go and fetch them at once!" Makarov ordered. _If we're lucky we can stop those two before they leave Magnolia._

"Yeah right. I got better things to do gramps. And besides everybody in Fairy Tail's supposed to take care of themselves, right?" he smirked. "If blondie really is as strong as she says then surely, she can handle lifting a dumb curse or defeating a demon cult".

"I don't care how you feel about Natsu or Lucy! The fact is you're the only one currently here who is possibly strong enough to bring both back by force!" Makarov yelled.

Gray stood up from the table, "Sorry Master. But I'm afraid I gotta disagree with you."

"Gray sit down" Master says deadpanned.

"Bet if Erza was here she could get Lucy back" Jet joked.

"Yeah, Lucy would follow Erza back in an instance" Droy laughed alongside Levy and the rest of the guild.

* * *

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy had just arrived at the town of Hargeon. Right now, they were at the port near the water.

Lucy was looking around the place already feeling sea sick, " Ah what a drag, you didn't say anything about having to take a boat to get to Galuna island" Lucy said glaring at the boy.

"I didn't know about the boat!" Natsu yelled, "Why can't we just swim for it?!"

"A few reasons Natsu. Reason one your magic wouldn't work against anything that might attack us in the water, and although I have Aquarius she is currently on vacation with her boyfriend. Reason Two, that's far too much work for me to do, so no swimming. Reason three we have no idea where the hell Galuna Island is" Lucy explained calmly.

Staring at Lucy, Natsu and Happy were awed by their teammate, who was usually a bit dense, who was quite reasonable with her explanation as to why they couldn't swim to Galuna island.

 _Man, Lucy continues to surprise me,_ Natsu thought grinning as he followed her to ask, unfortunately, numerous sailors if they could hitch a ride to the island.

After Lucy and Natsu had asked, begged and requested practically all the sailors at the port if they could take them to Galuna Island but were refused because of the curse there, both decided to take five and regroup.

Natsu grinned "Looks like we're gonna be swimming there after all!"

"Sure does!" Happy agreed.

Lucy rubbed her chin, "No, I have a better idea. Open Gate of the twins, Gemini." In a flash of light out came to little blue twins floating around Lucy happily "Piri, Piri" "How can we help you Lucy!"

"If you wouldn't mind, I need you transform into Happy here so we can fly to Galuna island"

"No problem, Piri, Piri" *POOF* Right before Natsu and Happy's eyes was an exact replica of Happy himself flying right next to Lucy's head.

"Whoa Lucy, your spirit looks just like Happy. But why?" Natsu asked

Smiling Lucy explains her plan "Well I figured we can use our Happy's to fly us to Galuna island. Granted it might take us a while, but we'll get there after a while".

For a while Natsu and Happy stared at the girl in front of them, Lucy thinking that perhaps her idea was stupid until Natsu wrapped an arm around her "Yosh, you're so smart Luce, that's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that!"

Happy nodded "Yeah, we'll get there in no time if we fly there".

"I found you." Gray said popping up out of nowhere grabbing them both on the shoulder taking Natsu and Happy by surprise except Lucy who judo flipped him into the ground.

"Oh, Gray sorry. You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that." Lucy greeted smiling.

Groaning Gray glared at the oblivious blonde in pain.

"What are you doing here?!" Natsu yelled.

Slowly getting up Gray began explaining what happened "Gramps found out about your hair brain scheme and sent me to bring you back." Making sure that all three of them were there "Honestly I'm surprised his hunch was correct about you choosing to do the Galuna Island quest together first."

"There's a Zodiac key involved, otherwise we'd be doing the demon cult" Lucy said nonchalantly from the side.

"Grr. But why? We're not in danger yet!" Natsu asked.

Gray looked at the blonde incredulous at her then smirked at Natsu, " Anyways, I'm sure if you come back now you might avoid being kicked out of the guild. Maybe."

Lucy raised a brow, "Hmm, kicked out huh. Guess I'd could always head to Cait shelter."

 _Seriously Lucy, Loke said._

"I don't care! We're going on this S-Class quest!" Natsu said.

Gray frowned, "Look if it was anyone else, I'd say you were out of your league but since you have Lucy, I think you'd be okay, but still you don't have the correct title to be doing this Natsu. Just come home." He started to shake, "When Erza finds out about this she's gonna be so angry."

That statement finally got a reaction out of Lucy, gasping Lucy grabbed Gray shaking him for more. "What do you mean, why will she be angry, I can't anger my mate Gray, one of the ardent rules of the courting ritual is keeping my mate happy. Luce made sure to remind me numerous times".

"Whoa, that was a pretty big word for you don't ya think" Gary says a bit shocked Lucy knew what ardent even meant.

"It was, but Luce engraved that word into me when he told me the steps of courting my mate" Lucy says shrugging.

Natsu and Happy were listening intently to Lucy's explanation, torn over not ruining Lucy's chances with Erza but also wanting to prove his strength. _Sorry Luce, but I gotta do this._

"I've gotta prove my power to Erza and Laxus! So, like it or not I'm doing this!" Natsu said with determination.

Lucy, while not wanting to anger her mate, saw the fire in her teammates eyes and knew she would just have to make it up to Erza once they got home.

"Don't worry Natsu, I'll make sure you show everyone just how strong we are, that's a promise and as a celestial mage I never break my promises!", Lucy winked. "Besides, as teammates when one goes on a job, we both go on a job, remember" Lucy said grinning.

Looking at his partner Nastu couldn't help but feel a swell of respect for her rise.

"Thanks Luce" nodding they fist pumped not paying attention to Gray across from them.

"Well, Master ordered me to bring you home! I'll drag you back to Fairy Tail if I have to." Gray said just as determined.

Gray summoned his ice magic, "Don't make me hurt you two!"

Natsu's fist was on fire, "I'd like to see you try!"

Before either could do anything, Gray was knocked out by gemi-Lucy's celestial sucker punch. "Piri, Piri. Did we do good Lucy!"

Giving a peace sign Lucy smiles nodding "You did great, nice job Gemi and Mini. Now Natsu and I can go on the quest"

A man watching close on his boat was surprised at the magic they were using. Lucy looked at the man and saw he was watching them. Deciding he was being creepy she went up to him to ask why.

"Hey why are you watching us, you're really creepy!" she yelled.

"Magic…?" she heard him murmur, "Oh, I-I'm sorry, but are you wizards? Have you come to lift the curse from the island?"

"Yeah." Natsu smiled.

Lucy shrugged, "I guess."

He looked at them for a little while before speaking, "…Get in."

Lucy smiled, "Thanks creepy dude."

"Seriously?" Natsu said with a smile. "Awesome! but what should we do with Gray we can't just leave him here"

Lucy looked at the ice mage then lifted the unconscious ice mage over her shoulder surprising both Happy and Natsu at her strength, we'll just bring him with us on the quest. Grinning evilly "That way he'll be part of our crusade too now".

"Nice thinking, and besides, we can't let him go back and tell the guild," Natsu started shaking, "Cause the next person they'll send is Erza."

Lucy frowned thinking of how angry her mate will be, "Yeah, they probably will…lame"

* * *

Natsu and Lucy were currently suffering from motion sickness on the boat. Both moaning for the trip to be over.

"Happy help us" Natsu begged the flying cat. Lucy meanwhile communicating with her keys who were claiming to all be busy now. _I should melt you all._

"Well look on the bright side at least you're not tied up!" Gray complained, then looking to the man who let them on his boat, "This is your fault too buddy! Why'd you decide to let us on?!"

The man turned to them, "The name is Bobo. And if you must know, I use to be a citizen of Galuna Island."

Lucy looked up from her side of the boat and raised a brow, "mmprh-Really?".

"But I had to flee. I just couldn't take it anymore. I should warn you, tragedy befalls anyone who steps foot on the island. There's no avoiding it…that is, unless your able to lift the curse." He moved his arm in plain view so they could all see it. His arm didn't look normal.

Gray and Happy gasped, but Lucy's slayer powers were immediately going off from just seeing the man's arm, which weren't helping her sea sickness. However, Lucy didn't have to be a genius to know it didn't look normal. He lifted his arm so they could get a better look, "This a vile demons curse."

As soon as he said that Lucy's powers began to flare up unnoticed by the others. _Somethings going on,_ she thought.

"Whoa your arm. What happened to it?" Gray asked.

"So, your arm looking like that is part of the curse?" Lucy said skeptically before throwing up over the side of the boat. She knew if he was part of the curse then she would be able to use her powers to rid of it but, from her reaction there was something more than a curse going on, Lucy just didn't voice it yet.

He didn't answer her; annoying the blonde. Instead he looked ahead towards the island. "We're almost there." They looked in the direction he was looking from and saw an island not too far from them, "That's Galuna Island."

Lucy hadn't noticed his presence disappear when they looked to the island. "Hey creepy guy, augh, why's the mountain top all glowy like that?" When Lucy didn't hear him respond to her, she looked back and saw that he was gone.

 _He's gone. No, that's not it._ She thought.

"Where'd he go?" Happy asked.

"Did he fall out?" Gray questioned.

"It's like he disappeared into thin air!" Happy said.

Lucy heard something from behind them, "Dear Mavis, is that what I think it is" pointing behind her as she felt the boat start to rock making her even more nauseous.

Gray looked behind him when he heard Lucy speak, and saw a giant wave heading right towards them, "Uh, guys!"

"It's a giant wave!" Happy screamed.

"Now don't panic just hold on!" Gray yelled.

Natsu was silent the entire time but saw the massive wave too. He along with Gray shut their eyes waiting for the impact to hit them until they realized nothing was happening, surprising both. When they opened their eyes, they saw the reason for the disappearance of the wave was a giant mermaid with an urn keeping the wave at bay holding Lucy like a rag doll who was green faced.

A tick mark appeared on her forehead as she began reprimanding her master "Seriously brat, you're the 5th rank Wizard Saint in all of Ishgar and yet you can't even think to handle a boat ride!" Tsk, did you ever think to ask Loke for a motion sickness pill or to maybe I don't know summon me when you felt the wave coming! Dumb brat"

"uhhhh, mrgphp, sorry, didn't mmm-want to bother you and Scorpio" Lucy mumbles, trying to hold back her vomit as Aquarius starts to shake her.

Looking up at the mermaid Natsu and Gray stare wide eyed as she continues to shake and yell at their friend who looks as though she's about to die any second.

"You know I don't actually care when you summon me ya little brat" smacking her head "And another thing, did you even think before you chose to go off on a S-class quest, think of the consequences, think of the harm you're putting your teammates in!" Aquarius said as she continued to smack Lucy's head.

"No. I'm sorry" Lucy mumbles ashamed of making her most trusted spirit disappointed in her.

Sighing "It's alright brat, but damn it be careful from now on" Aquarius says before tossing them to the edge of the island".

"Thank you Aqua!" Lucy yells grinning happily, causing Gray Happy and Natsu to sweat drop at the girls change in attitude towards the spirit.

Once on the island Gray couldn't help but speak "Geez Lucy your spirit's pretty strong to just stop that wave" Not bad" he praised.

Natsu shot up from the boat that Aquarius had tossed down, "Nice job Luce, your angry mermaid spirit did a solid for us!"

Gray sweat-dropped, "That was quick."

Lucy smiled at the two then looked at Gray "Well yeah, this is the ocean, Aquarius's domain, a little wave like that is nothing against Aquarius's power" Lucy boasts causing Gray, Natsu and Happy to sweat drop _She calls that a little wave!_

* * *

Lucy groaned "creepy guy ditching us in the middle of a boat ride to the island aside, we made good time to the island right guys?"

"I guess," Looking around to see it was night Gray shrugged, "still wonder where that guy took off to." Gray said.

"Who cares? We made it to the island cause of Lucy and that's all that matters!" Natsu grinned throwing an arm around his partner.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Lucy yawned "No problem Natsu, but it was technically Aquarius"

 _That's right it was brat._

"Yeah, anyway what now" Gray asked.

"Truthfully I'm too lazy to go exploring right now, so I don't know about you guys but I'm going to bed."

"Eh, sleep sounds good right now." Gray agreed, already used to the girl's laziness.

"Aye…" Happy said rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Yosh! Sounds good to me! We can go explore in the morning!" Natsu smiled.

Gray was about to ask where they should set up camp when he saw Lucy asleep on the sand with her cloak covering her.

Gray stared at her, "What the?! How the hell did she fall asleep so fast?"

"Lucy sleeps really fast." Happy told him, "she's really lazy but really strong".

Gray was about say something else when a bright light appeared and out came Virgo one of Lucy's spirits as he recalls.

"Hey Virgo, what's up" Natsu waved.

"Princess requested I give you all sleeping bags, so you're well rested before the mission tomorrow" handing out color coated bags to Gray, Natsu and even Happy. "If that is all" she said then disappeared before they could thank her.

"What the hell…?" Gray asked in confusion.

Happy looked at him as if he was stupid, "What Gray? Virgo just gave us sleeping bags so we could sleep. Lucy's just making sure we're all nice and cozy like a good teammate would." He said flying over to his friends and sleeping on Lucy's stomach in his mini sleeping bag, while Natsu was sleeping next to the blonde in his dragon themed sleeping bag.

Gray stood there for a minute, trying to understand what just happened,but no matter how many times he asked himself it he couldn't find an answer. Giving up on trying to figure out the weirdo that is Lucy, he laid down in his new sleeping bag with snowflakes, on the sand with his hands behind his head and fell asleep.

* * *

"Hmm, from what I can get off the quest paper there's a village on the island and the village chief originally put in the request, so obviously we have to find out where he is." Lucy explained as they all woke up the next morning.

Natsu and Happy were listening intently to her words and nodded.

"Not so fast." Gray said getting from his position on the sand, _man this sleeping bag is comfy._

"Give it up Gray. You can't take us back to the guild now that our boats been destroyed, and Lucy certainly isn't taking us back since she wanted to go with us on this quest." Natsu frowned.

Lucy nodded, "Tis true. As teammates we are obligated to go on jobs together and we chose this one to go on."

"You're right I can't, which is why I'm coming with you," he said shocking his two teammates, "There's no way I'm gonna let the Natsu make S-Class before I do."

"Hey what about me!" Lucy yells slightly insulted that Gray didn't think she could make S-class.

"Lucy be serious if you asked gramps, I'm sure he'd give you the title. You're already a Wizard Saint so I know I'm leagues behind you, so I'm not even going to try and compare myself to you, but Natsu on the other hand is a better comparison" Gray says deadpanned.

Both Natsu and Happy nodding in agreement. "Oh", laughing Lucy smiles at her friend "Thanks Gray!".

"And besides if you two were kicked out, the guild would be pretty boring. Sure, Gramps will be upset for a while at the fact we did the request, but if we pull this off, he won't stay mad at us for long." Gray explained.

Natsu grinned while Lucy gave a thumbs up. "Atta Gray!"

"Let's go." Gray grinned.

"Aye!" Happy said.

"Yeah! Welcome to Team Natsu" Lucy and Natsu said.

* * *

 **At the guild**

"I'm back everyone, what have I missed" Erza yelled happily as she sat down.

"Oh, uh well, how do I say this" Mira stuttered, while handing her strawberry cake hoping that would ease the yelling she was about to hear.

Glaring at her ex rival "Spit it out Mira, that's how"

"Natsu and your mate stole two S-class requests, then Gray went after them but hasn't come back. So, we're not sure what happened to him!" Mira spits out.

"Crack" punching the table she was sitting at, Erza looks up from the cake Mira had brought her "First off, she's not my mate. Second, did you just say the two biggest idiots in Fairy Tail stole not one, but _two_ S-class requests and you had Gray, another idiot, go after them".

"Erza my dear, we had no choice, while Gray is not as strong as your mate, he does match up in strength to Natsu. We were at least hoping he could bring back him which in turn would knock some sense into Lucy" Master hurries to say.

Facepalming Erza looks to the rest of the guild who nod in agreement, "Yeah, thought it would work" some seem to say.

"Okay ignoring the mate comment, _Again_. How did you know which one they would choose out of the two?" Erza says grinding her teeth.

"Calculated guess?" he says shrugging.

"You've got to be kidding me" she sighs "At least tell me which ones they took so I have an idea of where to look for them"

"Galuna Island and the demon cult in Stella" Mira yelled out quickly thrusting out the quest papers to her.

As her eyes scanned each S-class quest, she saw one in particular had a reward with a gold key, rolling her eyes at the obviousness of which one the two idiots would choose, she tossed them away announcing her departure " I'll be back in a few days with my mate and the others" pausing to facepalm at what she just said and glare at the entire guild.

"What did you just say Erza?" Mira says slowly trying to hold back her giggles.

"For fucks sake, now I'm calling Lucy my mate! I blame you idiots for that" stomping out of the guild hall grinding her teeth, Erza ignores the chuckles and laughter at her slip up.

Slowly Cana turns her head to display the shit eating grin she has on to say to Mira "I think Lucy's actually wearing her down with her weird courting ritual, hahaha!"

Laughter erupted with Cana calling bets in how long until Erza finally accepts Lucy's mate proposal".

* * *

The gang arrived at the village only to see a sign that says "Keep Out" right in front of them.

"Well we found the village, now what?" Gray asked.

"Check out that gate. It's really big, guess when they say keep out, they mean it eh Luce." Natsu observed.

"Nah, I think it's meant to be an intimidation factor, to see who's brave enough to come through" Lucy explains sagely.

Gray was silent at her answer unsure if she was serious while Natsu was writing down her words of knowledge, "Man Luce you're really smart, I would have never thought of it like that"

"I don't think it is" Happy said sweat dropping at his best friends.

Natsu grinned ignoring Happy, "If that's the case, then Let's bust in."

Lucy smiled devilishly igniting her hands, "Sounds good to me."

"We're not busting in!" Gray yelled at them.

Two guards appeared above the gate looking down at them, "Who goes there?!"

Looking above them Lucy answered, "We're wizards from Fairy Tail responding to your request!"

"Why weren't we notified when you excepted the job?!" one guard asked.

Gray answered this time, "Sorry it was probably just a mixed up with the paperwork!"

"Then let me see your emblems right now!" the guard demanded.

Natsu showed his on his right shoulder, Happy showed his, which was on his back, Lucy showed hers on left arm, and Gray showed his on his chest. The guards saw their emblems and opened the gate letting them in.

They entered the village and came face to face with a man with a cloak on covering his enter body, hiding his face and everything else along with the other villagers.

The short man with the cane spoke to the three, "I'm Moka the village chief. On behalf of everyone here I welcome you. Pleasantries aside, there's something you need to see. Now my people." Gesturing to the villagers all at once they removed their cloaks and showed them their demonic limbs just like Bobo showed them.

"It's just like what happened to the Bobo guy." Gray said.

Lucy hummed in agreement as she began to fill her powers flair up again, trying to figure out what was really going on with these weirdos.

"Oh wow! You got nice side burns!" Natsu yelled, "think I could pull them off Happy?"

"Nah, you'd looked really weird" Happy replied.

"Aye" Lucy said.

"Not that imbecile! I was trying to show you what happened to my arm." Moka said waving the disfigured limb around, "Everyone on the island has suffered horrible disfigurement because of this curse. Not even the animals have been spared." He explained.

"Excuse me for asking, but what makes you think it's a curse chief? It could be an infectious disease from the water or fruit you eat." Gray suggested.

"We've consulted with dozens of doctors young man, but they all agreed that no such disease exists." Moka told him, "You see, our symptoms began around the same time the moon fell under an evil spell."

Lucy raised a brow attention now fully caught, "A Spell?"

"Since ancient times this island has absorbed the light of the moon. This in turns causes it to glow as beautifully as the moon itself. However, a few years ago the moons color began to change, and an eerie purple glow was cast upon the island." Moka explained.

"So, the moon turned purple?" Natsu questioned looking to the sky.

Happy looked up at the sky noticing something, "Aye! It's coming out from behind the clouds!"

Looking up they noticed the moon was indeed glowing purple just like Moka said.

Lucy stared at it, "Huh, creepy villagers were right, it really is purple."

"Man, that's creepy looking." Gray said, then paused realizing what Lucy had said. "You can't go around saying that type of stuff, be more delicate idiot!" he yells whacking her on the back of the head.

"Oww, jeez fine, sorry. Weird villagers were right the moon is purple" Lucy corrected herself.

Sighing Gray facepalms turning back to the chief who is just staring at the two Fairy Tail wizards.

"Anyways, we believe it is the curse causing this…" Moka said clearing his throat.

Lucy looked at him waiting for more.

"Stand back. The change is about to begin." Moka warned.

Looking around the team saw that everyone started transforming into what looked like demons, Lucy's powers flaring up even more to the point she had to reel in power which was trying to seep through. _Uh, this mission is gonna be a drag I can already feel it_ , she thought.

"They're changing." Gray stated the obvious.

"Even I could've told you that Gray". Lucy said grinning..

Natsu's eyes widened, "Why's this happening to them?"

After they finished their transformation the chief began to speak again, "I'm sorry if our appearance frightens you."

"It's okay, I'm just completely confused." Gray said.

"Hmm, looks pretty painful" Lucy said, then grinned "but you look pretty cool if I'm being honest!".

"Right, Luce!" Natsu said happily.

Everyone looked at like the two as though they were insane, although Happy and Gray, used to the two personalities brushed it aside. "What?" the villagers said.

"It's so cool! You've got horns and stuff! I'm so jealous!" Natsu rambled off in excitement.

"They even changed colors" Lucy said nodding in agreement.

"They think we look cool?" a male villager questioned.

"No one's ever said that to us before." a female villager stated.

Gray sighed, "It may look cool to you two idiots, but it doesn't to them."

"Seriously? My bad then I guess we should help them out then." Natsu grinned.

"That is why we're here." Happy reminded

"Just point to who I have to beat up and I'll get it done" Lucy said, unaware how close her words were to the truth.

Gray crossed his arms looking away, "Get a clue you two, it's not that easy."

The chief coughed into his hand and spoke, "Yes, it's far more complicated. As you've witnessed whenever the purple moon shows its face in the sky, everyone in the village takes on a horrific demon form. This is not someone you can beat, it is a curse set upon us" Moka said.

Looking around they saw all the villagers were crying about their appearance.

"We'll return to normal once the morning comes and the sun has risen. However, there are some poor souls that could no longer switch back to their human forms for they have lost their minds." Moka explained.

Moka looked down, "The fate for them. These unfortunate souls in the grip of madness…we've no choice but to put them to death."

"But they might change back to normal some day!" Natsu said.

"If we wait for that to happen then the monsters will surely kill us all. We've tried capturing them but they've always broke free. It's no use." Moka said with tears in his eyes, "Once it takes hold there's no way to save them. I should know I was forced to kill my own son." He showed them a picture of his son and they noticed it was Bobo the guy that brought them to the island in the first place.

"But that's the same guy from the boat! But we just saw him yesterday he-" Happy was cut off by Lucy slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Now I understand why he disappeared on us like that," Gray said, "He's dead, but his soul can't rest in peace."

"Don't be an idiot Gray, ghosts aren't real" Lucy said chuckling.

"Like you're one to talk!" Gray says punching Lucy and starting a mini brawl while the chief continues to speak to Natsu.

Moka bowed to them, "Please lift the evil curse from our island! If this goes on much longer, we may all fall victim to it…we'll die."

"We're not gonna let that happen!" Natsu said determinedly, "right Luce!"

"Celestial demon sucker punch!" Lucy yells punching Gray in the gut, then taking a breath she smiles at the chief and grins "Heck no we won't, we'll turn you guys back to oomph-

"Ice make Lance!" Gray yells knocking Lucy to the side and winking to the villagers, "Don't worry we'll get you guys back to normal".

Moka stopped crying and looked at the two fighting _Our fate rests in these three, we're doomed_.

"We can fix this I promise you." Natsu told him.

"There's only way this retched curse can be lifted. The moon…the moon must be destroyed!" Moka told them, causing all four Fairy Tail to be stunned to silence.

* * *

The team was currently in a hut given to them by the chief so they could sleep there.

"I never knew the moon could be so creepy." Happy said.

Lucy looked out the window right along with Happy, "It's creepy alright, it's causing my slayer powers to flare up tenfold."

Happy looked at her, "Oh yeah, Are you alright?"

She gave a peace sign and smiled, "When am I not?"

"When Erza isn't around" Happy said, causing Lucy to shoot him finger guns "Got me again Happy".

Natsu was leaning back into the armrest chair, "I'm not so sure about this job guys."

"Do these people really think we can destroy the moon?" Gray questioned.

"I wonder how many punches it'll take? You think I can handle it?" Natsu asked.

"Are you kidding me?!" Gray yelled, "Don't be stupid man."

Lucy crossed her arms, "Not sure Natsu this may be too much for even you" perking up Lucy snaps her finger "But wait, maybe with both of us combined Natsu, we could take that sucker down!"

"You can't be serious, there's no way we can do it!" Gray yelled.

"But that's the job we were hired to do isn't it? We can't take a job and back out, because that would make Fairy Tail look bad." Natsu stated.

"What they're asking can't be done! How do you think you can get to the moon anyway?" Gray questioned.

"With Happy." he said simply.

Happy looked at him, "I don't think so."

"Lucy?" he looked at the blonde.

She blinked at him then looked away thinking about it for a second then looked back, "Gemi-Happy"

"Piri, Piri, you called for us Lucy" two twin blue spirits said popping up.

"Yeah, do you think you can help me in blowing up the moon?" Lucy asked the two in complete seriousness.

 _Don't you dare encourage her Gemi- mini, Aquarius told the two little spirits._

 _Aww, okay, the two said, sad they couldn't play with their master and her friends._

The two spirit twins looked at each other, "Piri, Piri. Sorry Lucy, we can't help you here".

"That's lame. Well thank you anyways" Lucy said with a grin before they disappeared.

Gray sweat-dropped, "Your face tells us you believed for a moment you could actually blow up the moon."

Natsu crossed his arms, "Then what the heck can we do! Yo, Lucy are you sure you don't have a spirit- "he trailed off noticing the blonde was already asleep with her cloak covering her.

"You have the laziest teammate in the whole guild" Gray deadpanned.

"She may be lazy, but she gets the job done when the time comes Gray," Natsu said, plopping down to where Lucy was falling asleep."

Happy flew over to them sleeping near Natsu's head on a pillow, "Goodnight Natsu."

Gray just shook his head and fell asleep in the bed next to Lucy having stripped his shirt and pants off at some point.

* * *

Natsu yawned loudly, "It's so early."

"Yeah, I'm never up at this time." Gray agreed.

Lucy stretched "Luce used to have me wake up way earlier than this for training. It was a total drag, but I learned to get used to it over time"

"Really?" they all said looking impressed at the mage in front of them.

"Yup!" Lucy says.

Lucy looked back and saw Happy lagging behind, taking pity in the cat she called upon her one of her spirits, "Gate of the Clock, I open thee, Horologium!" a magic circle appeared, and the grandfather clock appeared in a puff of smoke.

"The time is 7:48." Horologium stated.

Gray looked at the clock spirit, "So why'd you summon a giant clock for the time?"

"I didn't do it for the time" walking over to where Happy was dragging himself, "I did it for my little buddy here. Sleep inside Horologium for a little while, okay?"

Happy sent her a sleepy smile and spoke, with Horologium translating for him, "You're the best Lushie!" He says gratefully."

"No problem," she looked over the open mouth boys, "What?"

They looked away "Nothing "both said simultaneously.

"Alright then LET'S GO!" Lucy said charging ahead of them with Horologium following right behind her. The two males grumbled about it "not being fair that only Happy gets to sleep in and they don't."

Walking further away from the village they discussed a plan on how they would break the curse but unsure of how they would do it. As they continued walking, they heard stomping noises, stopping them in their tracks.

"What was that?" Natsu asked, looking around the area for signs of an enemy.

Looking behind them, they saw it was a giant rat that was wearing a tutu outfit.

"Whoa! What the hell is that?!" Natsu yelled.

"It's huge!" Gray also yelled.

"Is it me or is that thing about to attack us? Says the little blue cat." Horologium translated.

The giant rat started inhaling but before it could do anything a flame whip had taken hold of it and swung it towards the trees.

"Celestial demon flame whip" sending the rat away from them and the rat soaring back, knocking it unconscious.

Natsu and Gray didn't even have to guess whose voice that was. When they turned around Lucy had dispelled her flame whip and was walking away from the rat.

She looked at the two then shrugged, "A rat was coming at us in a tutu I panicked".

The two makes looked at each other.

"Eh, I'm not judging. Gray said.

"Same here." Natsu agreed.

"Aye!" Happy said not inside Horologium anymore.

Lucy looked at the cat, "Oh, Happy did Horologium leave already?"

"Yeah, he went back after you defeated the tutu rat." Happy explained.

She shrugged, "Hmm, turning around, she points, "Hey look at that creepy old temple over there. Why don't we go see what's inside?"

She turned back and saw both Natsu and Gray punching and kicking the unconscious rat, "We should kick its butt while we have the chance!"

She nodded joining in, "Good idea".

* * *

Lucy was looking around the giant temple in awe, "This place is massive. I've only seen places like this in Alvarez".

"Yeah and its fallin' apart." Natsu observed.

"I wonder how old it is?" Gray wondered.

"Like a thousand years old" Lucy said.

"Seriously", Gray asked looking to the slayer.

Shrugging she looks away, "I don't know I just didn't want your question to go unanswered" she said chuckling.

"You're an idiot!" he yelled.

Natsu looked up and saw something, "Hm? What are those?"

Looking up Gray answered "They're moons. It makes sense Galuna used to be called the island of the moon."

"Moon Island, moon curse, and moon symbols. They either really like moons or there's some sort of connection here". Lucy said.

"Man, this place is a wreck," he said stomping on the stone floor, "This floor doesn't even look safe to walk on."

Lucy stared at him, " Natsu, I know what you're thinking because I'm thinking the same thing, but please don't do it"

Just then the floor gave way under them sending them falling underground.

"Natsu you idiot! Look what you did!" Gray yelled.

Lucy frowned, "I told him not to, but he did it anyway" as they were falling to the ground at such a fast speed with her arms crossed. Shaking her head, she continued to mumble "Man I know I'm dumb but even I wouldn't have done oomph- falling flat on her face she quickly got up to punch Natsu back down, "Idiot, I told you not to do that!"

"Yeah Natsu, that's pretty bad when Lucy says not to do it." Happy said.

"And here's a thought, think before you act and maybe you wouldn't cause much destruction!" Gray yelled.

They looked up and saw just how far they fell.

"Can you fly us outta here Happy?" Gray asked.

Happy shook his head, "No sorry. We're stuck here".

"Aww man that sucks, huh Lucy... Lucy? Hey guys where's Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"What the? Where'd she go?" Gray wondered.

"Lucy! Where are you?!" Happy called out.

Meanwhile Lucy was running towards a huge amount of demonic energy having abandoned her group she ran towards a cave entrance she saw, her mouth dropping at the sight of an enormous monster.

Behind her following her scent was Natsu who saw an entrance and decided to look there, "Guys I'm pretty sure she went into that secret cave! Let's go!"

They ran after the fire dragon slayer and when they turned around a corner, they found Lucy along with something Gray had hoped to never see again.

"Lucy!" Happy flew over to her landing on her head to get her attention, "Why'd you run off on us like that?"

"The demonic power coming from this way, I couldn't not follow it", she said as she pointed at the giant block of ice holding whatever was causing the demonic energy.

"Whoa! Look at all that ice" Natsu said looking up at it.

"What ice? Gray asked, looking in Natsu's direction.

"Hey guys, what's that thing in there?" Natsu asked.

When Gray got a good look at it his eyes widened and for a moment he forgot how to breathe, "This is impossible."

No one said a word. Natsu was trying to comprehend what he was seeing, Happy hid behind Lucy's leg, and Lucy was trying to stop from attacking it.

"Its…Deliora!" Gray said in horror as he walked up to it, "But how? When did it appear here? No, Why!? What the hell is it doing on Galuna Island?!"

"You've seen this thing before?" Natsu asked confused as to why his friend looked so scared.

"There's no…no way…" Gray mumbled shaking so hard it looked like he was cold.

Lucy put a firm hand on his shoulder, "Gray, don't be lame and panic. Take five and talk to us when you're ready".

Gray looked at her dumbfounded. He wasn't sure whether he was being encouraged to speak or told not to be a baby, but either way somehow, he found her words slightly soothing and was able to take a breath and find the correct words to speak while he calmed his nerves a little.

"Cool, you look like you can talk now" Lucy said with a peace sign.

Gray rolled his eyes at the dense blonde but nodded his head, looking at the frozen demon, "Its Deliora. The Demon of Destruction."

"Demon of construction?" Natsu questioned.

"Destruction." Happy corrected.

"But why is it…here?! It doesn't make any sense?!" Gray demanded.

Lucy looked up at Deliora, the demon of destruction. _This can't be. Another demon from the Book of Zeref?_

She was brought out of her thoughts when she smelt new scents approaching, "Guys start hiding. Now."

The footsteps got closer and closer and revealed two teen boys who were talking about something.

"The voices seem to come from down here." The blue haired one with the weird eyebrows said.

The other had brown hair wearing a dog collar and no shirt but had yet to speak, instead he just growled.

The gang was hiding behind some rocks observing the two.

"Ugh, I hate being awake during the day." The blue haired one complained. "Same" Lucy whispered to her team.

"Shut up" Gray whispered.

The brown-haired boy nodded.

The blue haired one spoke again, "So Toby, were you exposed to the moon drip? You've got those pointy ears." he asked.

"You know they're a fashion statement jerk!" Toby yelled.

"Lighten up I was just teasing you." the blue haired boy smirked.

"You don't have to be so mean about it." Toby sulked.

Lucy was listening in to their conversation, "Moon drip? Now where have I heard that before."

 _I know I know! A soft-spoken voice yelled in Lucy's head._

Just then another person showed up this one was a girl with pink hair that was in pigtails wearing a dark blue gothic dress and dark blue boots, "Yuka, Toby. Something terrible has happened to Angelica"

Sighing Yuka looks to girl "What now Sherry?" he asked, while Toby just waved at her.

" Angelica was attacked. Quite brutally might I add and I'm sad." Sherry said.

Lucy, Gray and Natsu snickering on the side.

"You're sad because someone beat up your stupid pet rat in a weird tutu?!" Toby yelled.

"She's not a rat. She's a brave hunter prowling the jungle to protect us. She is…love." Sherry stated.

Lucy yawned, "Man that girl's weird, who the heck owns a rat in a tutu."

"Judging by the scent I picked up off them they're not from the island." Natsu informed them.

"Noticed that too huh, Natsu" Lucy said.

"And they don't look like they have the demon curse." Happy observed.

"Intruders you say?" Yuka questioned.

"And it's almost time to begin collecting moon light again. This saddens me so much. To deliver the news of intruders to the cold emperor would disappoint him very much, we must find them and rid of them before he finds out" Sherry suggested.

Yuka grinned, "Agreed."

Toby just growled.

"Since they've seen Deliora we can't allow them to live. We'll give them the gift of eternal rest. We'll give…them love."

Toby sweat-dropped, "Are you talking about death?" Looking to Yuka "She's talking about death right", the other mage nodding his head before the three mages ran off to find the noise coming from behind them.

"What was that?" Sherry questioned.

"Over there." Yuka said running in the direction the noise was coming from with the others following right after him.

The gang got up from their hiding spot, "Nice job Happy, waiting for stuff to happen is always a drag." Lucy complimented.

"Aye." Happy said.

"Come on. We should've grabbed them and beat some answers out of them." Natsu complained.

Lucy grinned, "Nah Natsu, we still need to invest first then we can kick these guys butts"

"Uh Lucy I think you mean investigate" Gray says sweat dropping.

"Really, alright we'll do that too" she says nodding at the ice mage.

Natsu crossed his arms, "Man. This job keeps getting more and more complicated."

"Right. Like who is this cold emperor guy?" Happy questioned.

"And how did that pink hair girl control the rat?" Lucy asked.

"That's not important!" Gray yelled, rubbing his forehead he looked to the ice block

"Deloria. I still don't understand what anyone would want with it. And how the hell were they even able to find it?" Gray questioned.

"Did you hide it good enough?" Lucy asked, "Luce was really good at hiding things. He used to hide my dinner so I would have to strengthen my sense of smell" Lucy said standing next to Gray.

"Uh. yeah. It was sealed away inside a glacier on the northern continent," Gray answered ignoring that last tidbit, "A decade ago, this immortal demon ravaged Isvan. Countless people lost their lives. The woman who taught me how to use my magic, my master Ur sacrificed everything to seal it away. I don't know if it has anything to do with the curse on this island, but I do know that it doesn't belong here." Gray's ice magic was flowing through his hand.

"We need to find out who the hell this cold emperor is. If they tarnish my master's legacy, they're gonna regret the day they were born!" Gray growled.

Lucy looked at the ice block, Moon drip, Deliora, and the Cold emperor. _"This mission is turning out to be more work than I thought it would be, what a drag"._

* * *

Another chapter I hope you like this one too and I'm really glad people liked the last chapter.


	11. Moondrip

Both Natsu and Lucy continued to stare at the sealed demon hypnotized by its eerie presence. Neither could take their eyes off for reasons unknown to them.

"You positive this is the demon your master sealed away?" Natsu asked.

"There's no doubt about it." Gray said, still lost as to how it got to the island.

"Maybe this is another demon that just happens to look like the one your master sealed up" Lucy says in complete seriousness.

"Oh yeah, that sounds pretty plausible, right Gray!" Natsu says.

"Natsu, Lucy. To the corner, right now" Gray says, pointing to the far end of the cave while trying to rid of his oncoming headache.

Looking down both slayers nod and walk to the corner their teammate was pointing at dejectedly.

"Natsu and Lucy's dumbness aside, I wonder why it was transported all the way from the northern continent to Galuna Island?" Happy questioned.

Lucy began speaking from the corner where she was, first swallowing the celestial food she had Virgo bring out, "Well if I had to guess-

"No, no guesses Lucy!" Gray yells, tossing a pebble at the slayer.

"Aw come on Gray, I'm serious I have a theory!" she yells from her corner, stomping her foot in objection.

Sighing Gray walks away "Go on then, what's your theory?" hoping to not increase his headache.

"Okay so hear me out, what if there is a connection between that cold empire dude and his lackeys using the demon and the moon to make the villagers look so creepy", looking to Gray and Happy, "you heard them mention the moon earlier, so that's gotta be it right!"

Gray stared at the blonde in disbelief at the theory she came up with, for a moment he wasn't sure if it was Lucy who was speaking. As for Happy, he couldn't help but fall from where he was flying shocked from hearing something smart come out of Lucy's mouth for once. Natsu was just grinning at his best friend for being so smart again.

"Holy shit Lucy, as much as it pains me to say it and it really does pain me, I think you're right," Gray says.

"Sweet! Give me a go at those guys and I'll destroy them and this stupid demon." Natsu grinned, fists alit.

Lucy looked at the huge demon and began circling the entire ice block, five minutes later when she was done, she spoke to Natsu. "Luce taught me a lot Natsu and one of his biggest things was if a demon is ever contained never let it out, so let's not destroy the demon that was encased in this really big ice block" Lucy said going to lay down after doing so much walking.

"No way! A little fire outta do the trick." Natsu said, ignoring his friends' wise words.

Gray looked at the fire mage in outrage and punched him square in the face, "listen to the other idiot for once, she just said her demon said to never let other demons out once contained...a bit ironic when you think about it"

"Hey" Lucy yelled getting up from her spot, a bit insulted. "I just told you all that stuff and I'm an idiot!"

Shrugging at the blonde unapologetic, Gray looks to Natsu preparing to fight if the fire mage tries to melt the ice and free the demon.

Natsu grabbed his cheek and glared at the ice mage, "What's the big deal?! What'd you hit me for popsicle?!" he stopped glaring when he saw the look on the ice mages face.

"I just told you I don't want you or your flames anywhere near it. If that ice melts and Deliora is revived there's no way we'd be able to stop it." Gray stated.

Natsu shot up at that, "Did you forget we have a demon slayer by our side", looking to Lucy who shoots a peace sign, "I'm sure we'd have a better chance of stopping it than you did before", Natsu says rubbing his cheek, " And besides, do you really think a huge chunk of ice would be that easy to melt?"

Gray looked at him then looked down awkwardly, "I mean…No."

"Even Lucy's not that dumb" Happy says pointing at Lucy who is currently being held back by Natsu from attacking both Gray and Happy for calling her dumb.

Noticing how sad he looks, Lucy walks up to Gray after cooling off and offers him a piece food she had left from the village "You alright Gray, want some boar?"

Nodding his head, he decides to take the offering. Once taken Gray sighs, _must be a demon thing._

"What the heck, why are you giving him your food, I'm the one that got hit for no good reason". Natsu yelled.

"You were trying to break out the demon, you kinda deserved it" Lucy sweat dropped.

" Look I'm just worried. A long time ago my master Ur cast this spell called Iced Shell on this demon enclosing it in a form of ice that can't be melted. It's so strong that even the most powerful flame spells have no effect on it." Gray explained.

The others listened to his explanation, Lucy slightly regretting giving away her last piece of boar to Gray when her stomach grumbled.

"If they knew the ice couldn't be melted then why did they bring it here?" Happy questioned.

Jumping up and down pumping her fist Lucy turns to everyone drawing their attention. "Next theory! What if they already knew using fire magic wouldn't work , and brought it here instead for that reason." Lucy said.

"Ok, say they did. Next question is why they would do that?" Gray questioned, surprised the girl thought of such a thing.

Lucy started going over the mage's words from earlier, "The drip moon they mentioned, what if they're using it to try and break the ice?"

"I think you mean Moon drip" Happy sweat dropped.

She nodded, "Yeah that. Anyways, remember what they said about gathering the moons light. What if they found a way to break the ice and wake it up? I mean it's just a hunch."

Gray shook his head _Well damn Lucy, color me surprised_ , "But who would bring Deliora here and why?"

Natsu crossed his arms, "We need answers. Let's go find those guys."

"Are you sure we can't just wait here for them to come to us?" Lucy said from her spot on the ground she was laying on, _I was hoping for another nap_.

"Sorry, Lucy but we gotta move"- Natsu said humored by his best friends' laziness.

"No, although I don't think they'll be coming back here, we do need to stay and wait to see if something happens with the moon and Deliora." Gray said, hating that Lucy was getting her way.

"Yeah!" Lucy yelled, already unpacking a sleeping bag for herself.

"You're really lazy Lushie". Happy said.

"Eh, got me there", Lucy says.

"The moon?! But it's the middle of the afternoon! Forget that! If I gotta hang out here all day, I'll die of boredom!" Natsu said, making steam come out of his ears, and fire shoot out of his mouth as his tantrum to get moving began to grow bigger.

Lucy thought about it, before giving up "Wait, hold on. Why are we waiting here?"

"Seriously, you just -like twice you came up with", shaking his head Gray looks to Lucy and says, "We're waiting here because the moon and Deliora might be connected in some way."

"Oh okay" Lucy says before going back to getting comfortable.

"I'm not waiting! We've got work to do!" Natsu yelled, right after he said that he was knocked out asleep.

"I guess all that yelling and stomping around tired him out" Lucy stated, ready to fall asleep herself.

"Aye." Happy agreed.

Lucy looked over at Gray and saw he had a look on his face like the one she would get when she would remember something about Luce or her mom. Ever since she's joined Fairy Tail though those moments have lessened.

"Hey Lucy." Happy called out catching the blondes' attention.

"What's up, Happy" Lucy said yawning.

"I'm kind of bored." He told her.

She stretched, "Yeah, I bet the demon cult mission would've been more fun filled".

"I don't think so Lucy" Happy sweat dropped. _It probably would've killed one of us._

"If you're that bored, I have a spirit I haven't called on in a while, she's been itching to come out" she shrugged.

"Who's that!" Happy questioned excited.

Lucy pulled out a silver gate key, and after saying the chant "Gate of the Harp, I open thee, Lyra!" out came a woman with orange hair with a harp on her back.

Lyra waved frantically at the blonde, "Oh wow! I haven't seen you in forever Lucy! Nice to see you!"

Lucy smiled at the energetic spirit, "Sup Lyra."

"Say, how come you never call me anymore? It's not fair when you think about it. I would love to help you out, but you ignore me jerk." She pouted, hugging her harp close to herself.

Lucy chuckled, "That true? If I recall, shuffling through a journal, you were the one who said they were only available three days a month".

"Uh! Are you sure about that?" Lyra asked, acting innocent, "Can't recall".

Happy sweat-dropped, "Great another weirdo."

"Moving on, what would you like to hear me sing? Any requests?" Lyra asked.

Lucy tapped her chin, "Give us something soothing, if you don't mind".

Lyra smiled brightly at her, "Righty O' Lucy, one soothing song coming right up!"

Happy looked at the blonde, "So Lyra is a singing spirit?"

Lyra looked at the cat, "Not just any singing spirit I'm the best singing spirit there is, isn't that right Lucy?"

Lucy chuckled, "Yeah, Lyra has one of the best voices I've ever heard, she does the best lullabies."

Lyra got her harp out, flattered by her master's words then began her song.

The blonde smiled leaning back and enjoying the music, memories of times with her mother floated by as well as a few with Luce. As she listened the memory of her mother first gifting her with Aquarius passed by. Next was the memory of Luce teaching her how to do a demon sucker punch when Aquarius and Capricorn weren't looking.

Meanwhile, Gray was over near the frozen demon remembering his time with master Ur as Lucy's spirits song flowed through him causing a flow of emotions to hit him.

Lucy opened her eyes, getting up from where she was laying lost in her memories, getting Lyra to stop her song when she heard quite sobs from Gray.

"Gray? Are you okay?" Happy asked.

"Yeah, I'm just fine". Gray said wiping his eyes, trying but failing to hide his tears.

"Are you sure? You seem upset?" Happy continued.

"Lyra's singing voice can affect people in different ways." Lucy explained, "Sorry Gray shoulda warned ya".

"Did the harp spirit make you cry?" Happy asked.

"I…wasn't crying, I just got something in my eye." He lied horribly.

Happy looked at Lucy's spirit, "Maybe you should sing something upbeat."

She looked at the cat shaking her head, "Sorry, but I only take requests from Lu".

Happy looked to Lucy who just shrugged and nodded her head.

Gray sighed, "Maybe we should skip the song. We need to stay quiet, so we're not found out."

Natsu, who was silent the entire time, didn't say anything and instead looked at Gray.

* * *

Lucy had just gone to sleep on a boulder while Happy was curled on her head with Natsu already back to sleep snoring, when the cave began to shake causing Lucy to fall on her face. Once she woke up, she got in a fighting stance "What's going on?"

Natsu shot right up wide awake ready for action, "Is it nighttime yet?!"

"A purple beam of light…" Lucy stared, noticing a purple magic circle which appeared above Deliora.

"It's shining down from the ceiling!" Natsu said readying his fighting stance.

"But why is it purple? It has to be the moonlight." Gray questioned.

"What's going on? I'm getting scared Guys." Happy said.

They saw the purple light shine down on the frozen demon, causing an eerie glow.

"It's shining down on Deliora!" Gray said, panicking.

"I don't think that's a coincidence." Natsu said.

Gray looked at them, "Let's go! We have to find out where the lights coming from and what it's doing!"

"Aye!" Happy said.

They ran off in another direction of the cave hoping to find the answers to what's going on. Arriving at the top of where the light was coming from, they saw another magic circle.

"Why would someone cast a magic circle inside this old temple?" Gray wondered.

"We're not gonna get any answers waiting here!" Lucy said making all of them run off again. As they ran up the stairs and made it all the way to the top the temple, they saw people dressed up in robes around in a circle chanting something.

"What are they doing?" Natsu whispered from behind the stones they decided to hide behind.

Lucy looked at him "if I'm right, then it looks like they're speaking in some sort of gibberish language".

Slapping his face Gray shakes his head, _Well, she can't be right all the time_.

Looking up they see that Lucy was right after all and it was the moon, they were using to draw magic from.

"The moon…" Gray said, "Holy crap, Lucy you were right they are using it for something".

"I'm not a wizard saint for nothing, Gray" Lucy says before tripping over a pebble. Slapping his face Gray stares at the downed blonde, _this is the strongest Fairy Tail wizard..._

Natsu looked at the robe people, "I think those robed freaks are chanting some spell to collect the moonlight and that's causing the purple glow."

"And they're shining it on Deliora, but why?" Lucy wondered.

"It's the spell they mentioned earlier, Moon drip." Lyra said.

Lucy fell over on her back grabbing her heaving chest, "How long have you been here?"

"I see. That's what they're trying to do." Lyra mumbled, ignoring her master.

"Oooh, so you know something about this Lyra, tell us, tell us! Lucy asked, grinning at her spirit.

Lyra nodded at her eager master, "Yeah, I told you earlier remember?"

Lucy thinks for a moment then shakes her head, vaguely recalling someone in her head. Sighing the spirit just continues with her explanation "They're using the moon drip spell to melt the ice surrounding the demon underground, so they can resurrect it."

"What?!" Natsu whispered.

Lucy groaned, "What a drag" dragging her hand down her face Lucy looks to the others, "So they are using the moon drip to try and free Deliora."

"They can't! The ice used in an iced shell can't be melted!" Gray protested.

"I hate to say it, but that's not entirely true. While the iced shell spell is strong, it can be melted using focused moon energy which can break any magical spell." Lyra explained.

Happy's eyes widened, "Oh no!"

Gray got pissed, "Idiots! They've never witnessed the wrath of Deliora!"

"I think what the islanders believe is a curse against them may actually be side effects of the moon drip. The moon energy can contaminate your body. Those islanders have been exposed to way too much of it." Lyra explained further.

Natsu growled pounding his fists together in a fury, "I'll make them pay!"

"So, we do have to beat people up to rid the curse. I was right again." Lucy said, before sniffing the air alerting Natsu of someone's approach.

Looking to where Lucy was pointing, they see someone wearing armor from head to toe approaching the people gathering the moon drip. They also see those three mages, Yuka, Sherry and Toby, from before in the cave they were in.

"What a waste," Yuka complained, "I lost so much precious sleep for nothing." Lucy nodded her head in agreement, "Me and that guy would get along great, don't you think" she whispered to her friends, getting glares from the others. Lucy putting her hands up in surrender.

"We searched all day for the intruders but never found a trace of them." Yuka said, frowning.

"Maybe there wasn't any!" Toby yelled, "Maybe Sherry's crazy".

"I'm afraid I have some sad news Cold Emperor," Sherry said to the man next to her, "We thought we had intruders during the day, but it seems they got away somehow. I cannot speak of love in this situation."

"Intruders?" the cold emperor spoke. "On the island with us?" Turning away from those chanting the man in the armor begins to pace back in forth worried. _How is this possible._

"So that guys their leader." Natsu observed.

Lucy nodded, "Looks that way, and something tells me he's the one that wants Deliora to be revived more than anything."

"Has Deliora been awakened yet?" the Cold Emperor asked.

"It should be later tonight or tomorrow." Sherry told him.

"Which one girl!" Toby yelled at her annoyed at the confusing answer.

"The time has almost come. If you see those intruders again kill them. I don't want anyone getting in my way." The Cold Emperor told them.

Natsu and Gray had to hold back Lucy when she had heard what the cold dude had said, to be so cold blooded had made her furious. _Who could think to kill people so easily_ , she thinks.

"They must've been villagers. They're the only other people on this island." Sherry said.

Gray's eyes widened when he heard the cold emperors voice, "That voice…no way…"

"Then destroy the village!" he commanded, irritated he had to give them a solution.

"Yes sir!" Sherry said.

"Understood." Yuka said.

Toby growled.

"What?!" Natsu whispered.

"So, they would kill innocent people just to make sure no one stops them from trying to awaken Deliora? Makes me sick!" Lucy growled, trying to contain her inner demon who was furious at the blatant murderers in front of her. Happy had to sit on her head petting her to calm her down.

"Yeah, we gotta stop 'em." Natsu said, just as mad.

The Cold Emperor smirked, "It's a shame there has to be bloodshed."

Gray was convinced now, "That voice…I didn't wanna believe it, but it is…its…Lyon!"

They looked over to him confused as to who he was describing, Lucy the first to voice this.

"Gray, glad you have a name to the voice, but we have no idea who that is" she said sweat dropping at the ice mage.

"Yeah Gray who's lemon?" Natsu asked.

Gray looked down, "Not Lemon, Lyon, and he learned under Ur just like me. I can't believe he would do this to our master! This...disrespect!"

Lucy looked at him then to Lyon's little group then back to him, " Alright got it. You take Lyon and me and Natsu will handle the lackeys" giving her teammate a fist bump.

Gray looked at her confused, "What? Why. Shouldn't you take on Lyon?"

"Nah, too much work, besides you can handle it" Lucy said giving a peace sign.

Gray opened and closed his mouth still confused on how the plan makes any sense but eventually agreed because he did want to fight Lyon "Alright then I'll take on Lyon while you guys take on his henchman."

"Ahh, but I wanted to fight the cold dude" Natsu complained.

Lucy put her hand on his shoulder "No Natsu, this fight is between Gray and Lyon so stay out of it," then spoke only loud enough so his dragon hearing could it she said, "jump in if it looks like Gray needs it.".

Hearing that Natsu grinned and gave a thumbs up trusting his teammates instructions, "Got it."

"What do I do Lucy" Happy said excited for his role".

Lucy looked towards Happy, " Uh, moral support?".

Happy saluted to her, "Aye sir". Landing on her head as she walked away from the other two mages but still in their line of sight.

Then stopping again, "Oh yeah before I forget Lyra, you can head back now thanks for your help." Rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment for forgetting the spirit was still out.

Lyra nodded with a smile, "Good luck Lucy." She said disappearing.

Finally making sure she was ready she looked to them, signaling to see them all nod they were ready. She began her first part of the plan.

"Well then Happy, wish me Luck" she whispered before yelling "Celestial demon hell flame whip" and grabbing the mage called Toby tossing him into some pillars, grabbing the attention of the other two mages and the Cold Emperor.

"Who did that?!" Yuka yelled looking to see the culprit who threw Toby.

"Toby, are you okay!" Sherry yelled, concerned for their friend who looked a bit concussed.

"No, I'm seeing three Sherry's! I can barely handle one!" Toby yelled, earning him a slap on the growing bump on his head.

If not for the helmet, he was wearing then Lyon's face would show surprise and anger for the current events happening in front of him. After Lucy tossed Toby, Natsu, Gray and herself made themselves known by jumping from behind their hiding place alerting every one of their presence on the island.

"It's the intruders!" Yuka yelled.

"They're the ones who hurt Angelica!" Sherry growled.

"No one cares about your stupid pet rat Sherry!" Toby yelled, rubbing his head, and rushing back to his friends, getting in a fighting stance alongside them.

Lucy not known for being patient made the first move and grabbed all three mages this time shocking them when they saw that they couldn't get out of her flame whip.

"What the hell, this burn!" Yuka yelled.

"There's no love in this rope" Sherry said as she struggled in the whip.

"No duh, this is a flame whip. Anyways we wanna give Gray a fair fight against the cold Empire dude so see ya" Lucy said as she tossed the mages into the forest. She then starts groan as she realizes she has no idea where she threw them on the island, so she'll have to go search for them, which requires her using more energy them she wanted to use. "Damn it shoulda just tied them up".

Looking back to Gray she waves to him "Hey I'm gonna go find those guys and beat em' up k", patting Natsu on the shoulder signaling for him to follow her, plus Happy so they could search for Lyon's partners while Gray was left there with him.

"Aye sir" Natsu and Happy yelled while rushing after Lucy.

* * *

Lyon chuckled at the boy in front of him. It's been years since they've last seen each other and yet the grudge he holds against him he realizes has yet to fade, "Hello Gray."

Gray glared, " Just what the hell do you think you're doing Lyon?!"

Lyon took the helmet off revealing his hair was spiky and white with black eyes, "Just what does it look like I'm doing? I'm reviving Deliora so that I can surpass Ur!"

Gray took a step back, the air knocked out of him in disbelief that someone who used to train under the same master as him could do such a thing.

"You're going to unleash a demon that not even Ur could defeat without giving up something so valuable, just so you could try and beat it?! You've lost it!" Gray yelled.

"I'm not wrong for wanting to surpass Ur! I won't let you take this chance away from me again!" Lyon yelled in anger.

Gray got in an ice-make pose, "I won't let you disrespect my master like this! Especially with something so crazy as this!"

Lyon smirked also getting in an ice-make pose, "I'd like to see you try and stop me".

* * *

Elsewhere, a pirate ship was sailing fast towards Galuna Island, all occupants on board knocked unconscious save the captain who was steering it, not by choice, however.

Deciding to finally speak after getting his ship taken over, the captain looked to the woman who hijacked it, "Uh, why do you wanna go to Galuna Island? It's scary!"

"I could care less about that", a woman voiced sternly, staring ahead.

The man flinched and turned around steering the ship just like she asked. However, the man had heard of all the rumors of that island, people who ventured there turned into demons and never came back. Soon all the sailors began to slowly wake up seeing the captain steer the ship towards the cursed island.

"I don't think you understand ma'am, that island is cursed and anyone who steps foot on it turns into a demon!" the captain explained.

"I will take that chance." The woman said, her only thoughts on two slayers and a cat who were going to get the punishment of a lifetime when they get home. _Gray, you better have a good reason for not coming back._

"But why do you have to go there?" the captain asked, pleading for a sensible reason for stepping on Galuna.

Walking out of the shadows with arms akimbo, was Erza Scarlet herself. "When rules are broken the guilty must punished… and I have two idiots who are in need of punishment".

The sailors looked at her in awe, her fearlessness brought shivers down their spine including the captain.

"She's so cool!" the captain shouted.

"We'll follow you anywhere Ms. Scarlet!" the other sailors shouted.

"Very good, then onward to Galuna" Erza said pointing ahead, to where she saw the island coming up.

* * *

Lucy began to sweat a sense of foreboding bringing a shiver down her spine "That was weird" Lucy said aloud bring Natsu's and Happy's attention.

Natsu and Happy turned to look at her confused when they saw Lucy freeze up, "You okay Luce, you look like you saw a ghost".

Looking to Natsu, she surprised him when she grabbed hold of his arm with an intense look, " Natsu, I don't know why, but I have the strangest feeling that someone with killing intent for us is heading towards the island".

"Really, that's weird. Any idea who?" Natsu asked intrigued.

"Hmm, if I had to guess I'd say my mate since Gray did say she would be who was sent next if he never returned back to Fairy Tail with us, but then again she loves me too much to want to kill me" Lucy says laughing, Natsu and Happy joining in agreeing with her.

"Yeah, I think your demon senses are just off because of the moon dip Luce" Natsu says clapping the blonde girls shoulder and continuing to walk ahead.

"Seriously Lushie, were you trying to give us a heart attack" Happy said shaking his head.

"Sorry guys, my bad" Lucy says rubbing her head smiling and following Natsu, not realizing that soon a pirate ship would be porting the island with a Scarlet mage who did indeed have killing intent towards those three.

* * *

 **Alright here is the next chapter I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for those who comment I really enjoy them, glad you all love the Erza pair. I honestly love your feedback.**


	12. Destroying the moon

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy had broken off to find the other mages before they tried something against the villagers with no luck. Having made no progress, the three decided to meet back up with each other.

"Argh, where the hell could those three be! Natsu asked, from above a tree.

Lucy shrugged from where she lay on the floor tired, "Beats me I just tossed them in a random direction."

"You guys the village!" Happy shouted.

It dawned upon the two what Happy had discovered. Lyon instructed the others to destroy the village earlier, so obviously they would be headed there.

"Bastards!" Natsu growled, punching down a tree.

"I think we should go back to the village in case that's where they go first" Lucy mumbled, before remembering their other teammate. "Actually, Happy and I will go to the Village. You go check on Gray Natsu. It's been awhile since we've heard from him" Lucy said frowning.

"You're right, popsicle has been taking a while. Don't worry, I'll go save Gray and bring him back to the village" Natsu yelled before running off in a different direction then Lucy and Happy.

Lucy nodded while Happy climbed on her shoulder, "Alright! Let's go Happy. We have some butt to kick" She said heading off towards the village.

* * *

"I failed you Ur" Gray thought as he lay on the ground defeated by Lyon. A sharp pain in his side flaring up where he was stabbed by his former friend. Thinking this was the end Gray closed his eyes, apologizing to his master until he heard loud obnoxious footsteps as well as insulting nicknames.

"Yo ice dick, where are -oh there you are" Natsu said looking down at the badly beaten ice mage.

"Natsu? Why are you here" Gray questioned, wincing at barely being able to speak?

"Lucy said I should come check on you since you were taking so long, good thing too since you look like crap." Natsu said grinning at the thought of his partner. Tossing his partner over his shoulder, Natsu pointed ahead of him " Village isn't that far from here, let's go."

Trying but failing to walk Gray asks where Lyon was.

"Ice Emperor. Beats me. Lucy and I were off looking for his lackeys but couldn't find them, so I guess he took off somewhere. Now Lucy's headed to the village to warn them of a possible oncoming attack." Natsu explained, with Gray on his back.

* * *

Lucy paced back and forth trying to think of what she should do to protect the villagers. Flashbacks of her time in Alvarez erupted, and for a moment she froze thinking she had come up with the perfect plan, then shaking her head when realizing she couldn't just blow up the island like she did with that dark guild a year ago.

Happy had noticed his friend freezing for a few minutes and gotten worried. "So, what's the plan Lucy?"

Lucy turned around to Happy shrugging, "Not sure. At first, I thought about this good plan I used a year ago with this dark guild where I just blew the entire place up" shooting a devilish grin, she continued explaining "But then I realized that wouldn't really work here" she chuckled.

"Oh man Lucy, you looked really scary for a second" Happy said with tears in his eyes, effectively making the demon slayer feel bad.

Rubbing her head, the blonde apologized, "Sorry Happy, but I usually get like that when I remember something funny that happened in the past".

Happy sweat dropped "You and I have different definitions of funny."

* * *

"Miss Lucy, there are people headed this way!" the gatekeeper said.

Lucy looked up at the keeper and nodded, "Does one have salmon hair and the other have droopy eyes!" she yelled.

The gatekeeper nodded, "Yes!"

"Open the gate" Lucy yelled.

Not even a few minutes later did two people with those characteristics come running in, "Hey Luce, nice to know someone knows their colors!" Natsu said giving a thumbs up, then looking around to make sure everyone was okay.

Lucy shrugged, "You'd have to be pretty dumb not too, how's Gray?" she asked looking to the mage on his back.

Setting the unconscious teen on the ground Natsu frowned, "He got beat up pretty bad by Lyon".

Seeing the state her friend was in angered Lucy, although she had only gone on one mission with him voluntarily and forcibly made him come on this one, she's enjoyed his presence. Despite him always insulting her intelligence she's grown very fond of him being on team Natsu and was hoping he would become a permanent one.

"So, Lyon's lackey not make it here yet?" Natsu asked, seeing no dead bodies.

Lucy shook her head in disappointment, "Nah, I wasted a lot of time here too. But then again maybe they know not to come here if they wanted to live" Lucy said shrugging from where she was being fanned by the villagers.

Natsu grinned, "That's right, they better no- wait, what's up with that Luce?" pointing to the villagers fanning her and feeding her fruit.

Happy answered for Lucy since her mouth was full. "Oh, they found out Lucy was the Ishgar Demon and were so honored to have her that they started treating her like royalty" getting a thumbs up from Lucy , "and from there they just started doing all that stuff" Happy concluded, looking to Lucy who nodded, and continued to eat the boar that was being hand fed to her.

Shaking his head Natsu facepalms, "Luce we're in the middle of a mission".

Lucy finally reacts when one of the villagers fanning her point to the sky at something nearing them "Ishgar Demon, over there!"

Team Natsu looked up and saw a giant rat flying with some sort of bucket filled with a liquid, holding the cold Emperors lackeys.

"So, they waited for us to come here, so then they would come. It was a trap within a trap" Lucy said snapping her fingers.

* * *

" I didn't realize that double poison jelly took so long to prepare." the pink haired Sherry mused, looking at the village they were nearing.

"We timed it perfectly those wizards were able to make back to village."

"We cannot rest until the demon Deliora has been revived for the cold emperor" Sherry frowned. "Those who stand in our way will die".

* * *

Lucy sniffed the air, scrunching up her nose when she finally got the scent, "Hmm, they have some sort of acid in that bucket" Lucy said with her arms behind her head.

"You say that as if it's not a big deal" Happy sweat drops.

Lucy looked to Happy "No, it is. But for once I can't use brute strength to take them down, so I'm a little lost on how to handle the acid." Lucy explained surprising the cat at her sensible answer.

"Acid, but the village will get destroyed if they drop it!" a villager yelled.

Natsu growled, "Now they've done it"

As the rat came over the village Sherri and the others looked down on the villagers' disgust in their eyes. "Drop it Angelica".

"Noo!" The villagers yelled running out of the way of the acid expecting their village to be destroyed, however when they turned around, they saw a golden shield covering them and the acid being deflected away from the village.

"Amazing, but who is responsible for such a thing" the Village chief exclaimed, thankful his sons grave wasn't destroyed. Looking to the center of the village the villagers, Natsu and Happy saw the only person who was capable of such a thing.

"Lucy! You're so cool!" Natsu and Happy yelled at the blonde girl whose arms were outstretched sweat running down her face. Physically exerted from the power she had to use for such a thing.

When she dispelled the shield, she sat down exhausted "Man, that was a drag. I was hoping I wouldn't have to use that spell since it takes a lot out of me but whatever at least the village is safe".

"What even was that!" Happy yelled with stars in his eyes.

Yawning the girl got back up "It was an ancient spell that only celestial mages could use "Celestial Guardian Shield". I haven't fully mastered it which is why I don't use it unless I really need to" she shrugged. I'm really surprised that worked, there was like a 40 percent chance we could've all died" Lucy chuckled. Causing everyone around her to sweat drop.

While the villagers cheered for their savior Lyons henchmen were otherwise upset at their failure to get rid of the village and the mages there.

"How was she able to make such a huge shield? The power she holds. Who are these mages?" Yuka questioned.

"Impossible, nothing should be strong enough to stop my Angelica's acid!" Sherry yelled.

They all landed on the ground near the villagers. The Fairy Tail wizards glaring at them.

"We wanted to give you a merciful death with no blood shed but now plans have changed". Sherry told them.

"What?" Lucy said stepping up from the villagers. "You were gonna throw acid on them that's not merciful that's like...torture. And trust me I've seen torture. I spent time in Alvarez." Lucy said angry at their stupidity.

"Tsk, whatever. There're only two wizards and three of us. Against you we have a greater chance of winning" Yuka stated, confused when the Fairy tail mages as well as the villagers laughed.

"What's so funny?" Toby asked, "We're literally threatening you and you're laughing?"

Nothing, nothing" Natsu grinned, "Ready Luce!"

"Heck yeah, I'm fired up!" Lucy yelled.

Sherry smirked trying to hide her fear at the power emitting from the blonde, "Yes, well we're not leaving until this village and all its inhabitants are dead. Angelica?" Leaping in the air the rat grabbed the pink hair girl going towards the villagers.

"Natsu, take on eyebrow dude and dogbro! I got pinkie!" Lucy yelled from the air.

Natsu and Happy looked up shouting, "Lucy's so awesome!"

* * *

Lucy grabbed onto the rats' foot with one hand and decided to burn it with her other making it screech and fall out of the sky.

"No, Angelica, we're going down! Sherry yelled.

Lucy saw the ground come closer and closer to impact, but before it hit her, she jumped kick off the rat and flipped off onto the ground tumbling back onto her feet.

* * *

Once he saw the rat fall Natsu got slightly worried. "Ah man. I hope Lucy didn't kill that chick she doesn't really know how to hold back" Natsu said scratching his head.

Happy activated his wings nodding his head in agreement, "I'll go see if we need to create new identities because Lucy killed someone."

"Thanks, buddy" Natsu told him, "I'll stay here and deal with these two."

Happy nodded and flew off, "Right."

"Now to take care of this trash" he said turning to Yuuka and Toby.

Natsu glared and breathed out a large gust of flames at Yuuka.

"So, fire is your specialty I see." Yuuka noted, ridding his flames with ease. "You must be the famed Salamander everyone has spoken about so much from Fairy Tail".

Natsu glared at him not speaking, beside the dispeller was Toby who stayed behind to help his friend.

"We were once part of a famous guild too so don't count us out, Yuuka said. "Surely you've heard of the Wizard guild Lamia Scale which Iron Rock Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints belongs to..."

Natsu grinned at hearing that "What do you know, we got a wizard saint in our guild too. Lucy! You know the one who just went after your friend!" Natsu said smiling, before engulfing both bodies in flames.

"Hey, stop that I wasn't finish talking and what do you mean she's a wizard Saint." Yuuka demanded blocking the flames with his magic.

"Lucy's a fifth rank wizard Saint" Natsu said. "Now if we're done talking about who has a cooler teammate, I'm gonna take you down for tryna destroy innocent lives!" Natsu said running towards the mage with a flaming arm.

"Wave" The bushy browed wizard murmured aiming a hand towards Natsu pushing a large blue sphere towards the fire mage.

" Please, a blue bubble can't take me do- "Natsu's eyes widened as he felt his magic disappear and hurried to dodge the worst of the oncoming attack. "What the hell was that man!"

"My bad, seems you weren't ready for that." Yuuka said smugly.

Natsu responded by breathing fire at him "Fire dragon roar".

"Wave." Another blue wave of energy collided with the flames and cancelled them out. "The pulsing energy that is coming from my hand diffuses all types of magic. This means that none of your spells will work against me."

"So that's why my fire power couldn't destroy his barrier" Natsu mumbled "I get it."

"I specialized in anti-wizard magic when I was in Lamia Scale and I'm sure you understand why. No matter how strong they may be, all wizards are powerless against me!" Yuuka grinned and sent two bursts of wave magic towards Natsu.

The attacks impacted the ground as Natsu dodged. "That so eyebrows?"

Natsu burst out of the attack charging at Yuuka with a flaming fist.

"Wave!" Yuuka created a barrier using his wave magic and Natsu's fist collided with it causing the fire to go out. "Didn't you just hear me when I said all magic is useless against my Wave." Yuuka said with a tick mark on his forehead.

"That doesn't mean I'm gonna just give up." Natsu grinned and pulled his hand back. "I'll just have to crush you without it."

"I wish Lucy was here to see me " He grinned as his fist easily punched through Yuuka's barrier. " break through this-AAARRGGGHHH!"

"You put your bare arm inside a vortex of magic energy." Yuuka informed him surprised. "Idiot move."

Natsu stopping yelling in pain and suddenly thrust his head inside the Wave.

"Woah, he's actually pushing his entire body inside the wave" Toby exclaimed, watching the Fairy Tail mage proceed to push himself despite the pain it was costing him.

"Compared to my brute strength your magic is nothing" Natsu cackled, causing Yuuka to flinch as he was freaked out.

"You may have broken through my wave but you're stuck Salamander, no magic can pass while inside" Yuuka said nervously as he tried to regain his composure. "No matter how strong your flames, they won't work while you're inside there."

A vicious grin covered Natsu's face causing Yuuka to blink. "But that means I can still use them while out here" confusing the wave mage. A few seconds later he understood Natsu's words as his elbow suddenly ignited and started spewing a flames "Fire Dragon's..."

Yuuka's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief. "He's using his magic as a booster to increase the power of his punch?!"

"Flame Elbow!" Natsu finished, shooting a fist into Yuuka's face sending him flying until he landed on his head and fell unconscious.

"That's one down." Natsu smirked at Yuuka before directing his attention towards Toby who was grinning despite what happened.

"Wow, you Fairy Tail wizards are awesome." Toby complimented Natsu.

"You're about to see just how awesome we are first hand."

"I'm not scared." Toby answered confidently. "Cause I'm even stronger than Yuuka is." His nails suddenly lengthened and turned green. "Check out my Mega Jellyfish Paralyzing claws!

"With just one swipe from my claws-" He swung and missed by a few inches again. "You'll be frozen and waiting to die!"

"Now hold on just one sec man" Natsu pointed to a spot on his own forehead. "You've got a little something right here."

Toby scratched his forehead in the spot Natsu indicated shocking himself to paralysis and inevitably unconsciousness.

"Man, that was too easy, those guys were a joke." Natsu turned away and knelt in front of Bobo's gravestone. "I swear I'll turn your people back to normal and avenge your death."

* * *

When Lucy finally found Sherry, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the state she was in.

"You…you have no idea what you've done, do you?" Sherry sobbed. "Because of you and your interference, the Cold Emperor will no longer be able to trust me, he won't love me anymore!"

"You're lame you know that. You think because you failed to kill people your cold emperor won't love you anymore" Lucy growled. "If you want him to be your mate then you should court him like normal people!"

"Uh...I don't think normal people have mates" Sherri sweat dropped at the blonde.

"Oh yeah, then why am I currently courting the most beautiful woman in all the Earthland right now!" Lucy asked.

"Because you're a weirdo" Sherri answered genuinely.

"Tsk. Fine don't take my advice" Lucy shrugged.

"Okay enough of this! I don't need dating advice from someone who still believes in mates! WOOD DOLL!" Sherry screamed, her magic bringing a nearby tree to life with a creepy face.

"Hey! I wasn't done giving you romance advice!" Lucy yelled as she dodged an oncoming branch swinging down upon her.

"Get her!" Sherri yelled.

"What a hassle, I just wanted to give some advice but now I'm here fighting, tsk." Jumping out of the way of another oncoming attack Lucy looks at the trees trying to decipher the type of magic used on it "an animation magic, obviously" Lucy noted to herself, as she dodged a punch from the tree's wooden fist.

Lucy back flipped over another wooden punch and landed on a high branch of another tree.

"Man, this is taking too long" Lucy sighed grabbing a golden key from a pouch beneath her cloak. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull: Taurus!"

"Evening Miss Luuucy, Time toooo get a mooove on with this fight, am I right?!" Taurus yelled as he emerged from his gate at the base of the tree Lucy was standing in.

"Heck yeah it is, let's take down these overgrown sticks" Lucy said to the bull spirit.

The large bull leapt forward, quickly destroying the animated tree.

"You're a Celestial Wizard?" Sherry gasped in shock as her tree was made quick work of by the Celestial Spirit.

"Heck yeah I am, and a strong one too!" Lucy stated with a peace sign.

"Well your kind don't like my magic and you're about to find out why."

"Pfft, please. Taurus end this fight before I have to step in".

Taurus nodded, charging forward, but suddenly stopped mid-step and turned back towards Lucy confusing her. Eyes wide the bull started to swing his axe at her, forcing her to leap from the spot she was standing.

"Taurus, what the heck!" Lucy yelled as she avoided his attacks "This totally goes against our contract."

"I'm sorry Ms. Lucy…. but I can't control myself".

Lucy dodged, and continued ducking and weaving around Taurus attacks.

"I see..." Lucy narrowed her eyes letting her magic seep out at Sherry, not at all happy someone was controlling her spirits, "You use Doll Attack magic?"

"That's right." Sherry smirked, but slowly started to back away when she felt the pressure from Lucy's magic go towards her. Trying to intimidate the celestial mage Sherry speaks "My magic allows me to control anything except humans. That also applies to Celestial Spirits, since they're not human."

"You should've never done that". As Taurus charged at her again against his will Lucy held out the key. "Sorry buddy but, Forced gate Closure, Taurus."

The Bull Spirit apologized back as he went back to the Celestial World.

"I recently promised my spirits that now that I've joined a guild I would stop killing, which means you are in luck" Lucy said while clutching her fists in fury. Looking up at Sherry she gave a devilish grin that made the girl want to run. "You aren't dying today, you're just gonna get really hurt for even trying to take control over my spirit". As Sherry heard her final words a cold shiver went down her spine, with what strength she could muster the pink haired mage summoned one more rock doll ordering it to attack the blonde girl.

Deciding she didn't want to set fire to the island Lucy decided to hold back on using her slayer powers and go towards where she could summon the one spirit that could help get her revenge on Sherry. Dodging rock punches while leaping from tree to tree Lucy neared a cliff overseeing the ocean front.

Eventually Lucy reached the cliff and jumped off landing a bit awkwardly on the sand, "Ow, that wasn't as soft a landing as I thought it would be" Lucy grumbles limping towards the water, the rock dolls not far behind her.

"Payback time Pinkie. Open Gate of the Water Bearer: Aquarius" Lucy yelled once she's near enough to stick the key in water. What followed was a golden light shining, proceeded by Lucy getting knocked over by a wave of ocean water, the celestial mage now lying down in the sand like a drowned rat.

"What the hell Aquarius!" Lucy said after spitting out a piece of sea weed.

Aquarius appeared from her gate and hovered above the ocean.

"Hmm, oh look a blonde rat, never seen those before" Aquarius says with a smile.

"Shad up! I need your help!" Lucy yelled.

"What was that, you need manners? I think so too" the mermaid says turning around while filing her nails.

Fire breathing out her nose the blonde relents, "I'm sorry Aqua. Could you help me take down the jerk who made fun of me and took control of Taurus" Lucy pouted.

Smiling at the young girl, Aquarius nods, "Fine. But only because I'm the only one who can do that, got it brat".

"Not so fast! Marionette Attack. " Sherry casted, casting her magic over Aquarius.

"Now she's my puppet, might as well send her back."

"Pfft. Yeah right. Aqua doesn't let anyone control her, including me and she's my spirit" Lucy smirked before turning to Aquarius. "Stop acting like she's controlling you and do something already!"

Rolling her eyes, the Water Bearer waved her hand calling to her a large column of water and sending it towards the other mage knocking Sherry off her Rock Doll causing both to become inert.

Lucy waited for the column to vanish before she sent a flame whip at Sherry holding her in place.

"Great job Aquarius, you can go back now", Lucy shouted ignoring Sherry's shouts of pain.

"I-impossible, how was she able to break free of my control?" Sherry asked through the pain.

"She would never let anyone be her master except me, even if she does find me annoying" Lucy replied with a toothy grin, before knocking the girl out.

* * *

"Lucy!" a little voice called out.

Looking up to where the voice yell, she saw it was Happy flying towards her, "You're alright! I was worried about you!"

Lucy smiled, "Pfft, as if this chick could even lay a hand on me" she laughed, Happy joining in.

"You're so strong Lucy!" Happy yelled.

She smiled at the sparkle in the cat's eyes.

Happy looked towards the unconscious Sherry and winced, "What happened to her?"

"Nothing bad. I just called Aquarius out, who lent a hand. Then I knocked her out with a Lucifer punch." She explained.

"Oh, what's a Lucifer punch? Is it like a super cool flaming punch or something!" Happy said.

"It's a regular punch with an extra oomph in it" Lucy said grinning, ignoring Happy's face drop.

"Well, we better get back to the village and see if Gray is awake" Happy said, hearing no reply from Lucy he turned around to see her sniffing the air.

"My mate. She's here" Lucy said with a grin on her face, trying to get her precise location but the ocean water messing with her mate's scent.

Happy shivered, "Oh man, Erza's here?! We've gotta run!".

Lucy smiled at the sweaty cat "Don't worry Happy, Erza is my mate she would never hurt me and since you're my best friend this means she would never hurt you".

Happy looked up at her, "I think Sherry's rock thing might've hit you on the head a little too hard when you weren't looking, Lushie."

Lucy shook her head grinning, "Nah, I dodged every hit.""

Happy shook his head, "Man Lucy, you're pretty dense for such a strong wizard".

She smiled running along the shore towards where she smelt Erza, "Thanks I train a lot!"

Happy face palmed.

When they finally arrived at the sandy part of the island where Erza's scent was the strongest, according to Lucy, both mages spotted the scarlet's figure back turned to them indicating she had just arrived on the island.

Running towards the armored mage, Lucy called for her attention "Erza, Erza! Over here."

She had yet to realize anything was wrong as she sprinted towards her mate, unlike Happy who had seen what Erza was preparing to do. He jumped out of her arms to avoid the impending doom Lucy was about to face.

* * *

Erza had just gotten on the island when she heard her name being called by a voice that had been a thorn in her side the past few weeks. _It just had to be her I find first, Erza thought._

Deciding to look over her shoulder she sees a yellow blur running towards her yelling her name repeatedly. As the blonde girl nears her Erza rears back her arm and when Lucy is position, she punches the her in the stomach hard enough to bring Lucy on her knees.

"Ouch, I felt that" Happy said from where he was flying on the side, hoping to get away until Erza pulled him down by his tail.

"Wow, that was almost on par with a Lucifer punch" Lucy groaned on her side.

"Lucy, I trust you know why I'm here don't you?" Erza asked.

Lucy rolled over groaning, "Because you missed me and wanted to join Natsu and I on a S-class Mission".

"That's ri-what? No! That's wrong, that's all wrong" Erza said bringing out a sword and pointing it towards her, "You have broken guilds rules and Master Makarov's trust! You two will come back to the guild and receive your punishments!"

"But how?" Lucy whispered from her spot on the floor Plue by her side patting her back.

"You are not S-class, nor did you bring someone who was an S-class Mage. And you took this without getting it approved!" Erza yelled.

"Puuun-pun-Puuun!" Plue yelled with shaky movements.

Lucy nodded in pain at the little dog spirits words "Plue has a point".

Happy and Erza looked at each other and sweat dropped at the blonde and the little dog spirit.

"Mira did say that a wizard saint beats S-class" Lucy explained, clearing up Plue's point.

"Yes, but you still need the title for the missions, Lucy" Erza groaned.

"Pfft, that's stupid" Lucy said, instantly regretting her words when she sees a shadow looming over her.

"What. Was. That.?" Erza grounds out with a darkened aura.

"Uh...nothing" Lucy says looking away.

"I thought so, now come along we need to get Natsu and Gray and leave!" Erza says walking in a random direction.

Finally, Happy decided to speak up, "But Erza we can't leave! These people need us to break the curse and we have to stop Lyon before he awakens Deliora!"

Erza glared at him, "I don't care! You should've thought about that before breaking guild rules".

"Sorry mate but Happy's right, we can't leave. There's a demon that if awakened will wreak havoc beyond our wildest dreams and I'm not letting that happen. We took this mission so we're finishing it. Also, I'm obligated as Natsu's partner to help him, and you're obligated as my mate to help me" Lucy says with a wink. Once finished she gets a sword to the face from Erza who manages to say through gritted teeth, "When all is said and done. Remind me to kill you."

Touching the end of the sword Lucy lowers Erza's sword to look her in the eyes, "Well then, what are we waiting for! Follow me to the village love, Gray is there and Natsu should be too!" Lucy says, grabbing Erza who was still glaring and a dumbfounded Happy.

* * *

When Gray finally woke up, he noticed that he was in a hut, with a bit of effort he stood up and realized that someone had bandaged his body while he was unconscious.

Stepping out of the tent, Gray shielded his eyes against the afternoon sun to find someone and ask what was going on.

"Oh, thank goodness," a voice from behind Gray said, causing him to turn and see one of the village girls, "I'm glad you're awake, you were out for quite a while."

"I feel like it. Where is everyone?" Gray asked, trying not to stare at the girl's cursed leg.

"The Ishgar Demon just returned with another person," the girl answered, "They're in the hut across from you" the girl said pointing across to a hut several over.

Thanking her, Gray walked over to the hut assuming the person with Lucy was Natsu, immediately wishing he could backtrack when upon entering he saw Lucy and Happy tied up.

When he looked away from the wizard saint who was gnawing on her mouth gag, Gray looked to the corner to see Erza sitting, her legs crossed with a disapproving glare.

"You made me wait for you" she said in a dark, tone "with only these two for company" she said pointing to Lucy and Happy who were still trying to wiggle out of the magic canceling rope.

"Erza!" Gray desperately wracked his brain for something. "Why are Lucy and happy tied up?"

"Happy informed me of the situation, since Lucy kept avoiding the question, only blabbing about a connection between mates," Erza said, not answering Gray's question.

Erza continued, "I thought that you had been sent to stop these idiots, not join them; quite honestly, I'm disappointed. However, now that you're up, we're going to search for Natsu and then we will go back to the Guild."

"But we can't leave the island just yet!" Gray protested, "If Happy filled you in, then you know what these villagers are going through!"

"And what's your point Gray? I came here solely for the purpose of taking you all back to the Guild; I'm not interested in anything other than that."

"Seriously!?" Gray yelled, "Have you even seen the people on this island!?"

"I have," Erza said evenly.

"And you're just gonna turn your back on them!?" Gray demanded.

"Their request is posted on the request boards of every Guild Hall; the villagers would be better served by wizards who are cleared for S-Class quests. You, on the other hand, are not qualified."

"That doesn't even make sense since we had Lucy with us this entire time and she's a wizard saint! That's higher than S-class." Gray yelled, continuing "How can you be so heartless?" Gray asked.

"What did you say!?"

A magic circle appeared in front of her hand, and a sword emerged; grabbing the hilt she pointed the blade at Gray.

"If you break the Guild's rules, then you will face the consequences."

Gray flinched, but then steadied himself; he then grabbed the blade and placed the tip over his chest, right above his Guild mark.

"Do what you must," Gray said with a steely determination in his voice, "I can't walk away from what I know is right."

For what seemed like an eternity, neither Gray nor Erza broke eye contact; finally, Erza lowered the sword, and Gray walked to the tent-flap with Lucy caterpillar crawling after him muffling for him to wait up for her. She stopped when Erza pointed the sword at her.

"And just where do you think you are going?" Erza demanded, not expecting an answer since the blonde was gagged.

Lucy grinned standing up shocking Erza as the ropes fell off her and she spit out her gag that she managed to chew through, "I'm helping my teammate out!" shooting a peace sign as she ran out.

With that Lucy left, leaving behind an irate Erza Scarlet who glared at Happy the only occupant left in the hut until he decided to fly out and follow Lucy.

* * *

Gray, Lucy, Happy, and surprisingly Erza who managed to catch up with them, were heading towards the moon temple. The ice mage explaining why Lyon wanted to revive Deliora on the way there.

* * *

"It's our mating bond" Lucy whispered to Happy who snickered, "It's how she can find us so fast-oomph" bending over in pain Lucy looks to Erza seeing her hold her fist up with a tick mark on her forehead. "Please, just shut up until we get to the guild".

* * *

"So, his intention is to defeat Deliora?" Erza asked, ignoring the groaning blonde, trying to understand what she was told.

"Yeah, Lyon has always wanted to surpass Ur ever since I can remember", Gray told the two girls. "Now that she's gone, he's trying to surpass her by defeating Deliora, the one thing she couldn't do."

"Makes sense" Lucy muttered. " But doesn't he realize that reviving Deliora will probably get him killed" Lucy said from Erza's arms, making the Scarlet mage do a double take.

"How did you get in my arms?!" she yelled, dropping the girl on the ground.

"You liiike her" Happy nodded.

"No..." Gray shook his head, ignoring the two mages antics. "Lyon is just ignorant of the truth. Ur may no longer be with us... but she's still alive." Erza sent him a surprised glance.

Lucy and Happy both grabbed onto each other shaking "Oh man you don't mean she's the ghost that's causing the curse do you Gray, because that would be super messed up!" Lucy yelled.

"Yeah, I never signed up to fight ghosts" Happy cried.

"Idiots we're not fighting ghosts!" Gray facepalmed.

"Anyways, there's a lot we need to get off our chest so, sorry guys but I wanna fight him alone…" Gray trailed off.

"No problem Gray, seconds time the charm, am I right Happy?" Lucy grinned with a peace sign.

"Aye sir" Happy yelled.

Gray looked at her, "Thanks."

* * *

"What's going on?" Happy shouted in shock, feeling the ground shake.

"I think a mini earthquake just happened!" Lucy said confused.

"No, if I'm right then Natsu was just being his idiot self and messed with the temple to stop the moon drip. Aside from you, he's the only one who would do something that crazy." Gray sighed looking to the crooked temple.

* * *

The three wizards and cat looked around and as the sounds of shuffling came from the forest around them. They quickly found themselves surrounded by a mass of cultists and had to dodge the curved blades that were thrown at them.

"We've tracked you down Fairy Tail!" Their leader exclaimed.

"We won't allow you to interfere" another said.

"Go on guys" Lucy said grinning as fire erupted from her body, and she summoned Loke by her side. "Leave this to Loke and I".

Gray nodded running towards the temple with Erza and Happy behind him, as Lucy kicked multiple cultists away from the others.

"Feels just like Alvarez, Princess" Loke chuckled before blasting cultist away with a regulus impact.

"Celestial fire demon punch" knocking out another bunch of the cultist, Lucy walked up to Loke's side laughing in agreement. "Except these chumps aren't nearly as powerful" then getting back in a fighting stance.

* * *

They arrived inside the temple and saw Natsu about to fight with Lyon until Gray stopped him.

"No Natsu, this is my battle" Gray said, getting in an ice make pose.

Lyon started to laugh getting everyone's attention, "Perfect you're all here. Makes it much easier to eliminate you all!"

Natsu glared, "He's really starting to get on my nerves."

Happy nodded, "Aye."

Erza sent him a murderous glare; "I will allow Gray to fight you one-on-one. But If I find you trying to kill him, I will strike you down without mercy!"

Lucy took this chance to pop up out of a bush, "You go mate! You tell him what's gonna happen if he hurts Gray!"

A dark aura surrounded Erza as she punched the blonde girl down "I thought I told you to be quiet until we got back to the guild!"

Gray sweat-dropped, "Okay, you two need to calm down."

Just then the temple started to shake getting everyone's attention.

"What's going on?!" Happy yelled.

Lucy looked around, "Another mini earthquake?"

"The first one wasn't an earthquake as we established, so why would this time be any different." Erza observed.

Lucy shrugged.

Just then a weird looking person came through the hole in the wall, "Pardon the interruption."

Lyon looked at him, " I take it you did this?"

"Indeed sir. I merely straightened the temple for you." the short man said.

"That weirdo fixed it all up?" Gray questioned.

"And after all the trouble I went through to mess it all up to." Natsu said.

Lucy rubbed her head, "So there were no mini earthquakes?"

"Tell me how you fixed it you weirdo!" Natsu yelled.

"Well, if everything else is in order, I'll go prepare the Moon Drip ceremony," Zalty said, then ran off.

"Would you quit ignoring me, you masked freak!" Natsu shouted, and then began to chase after him. "Get back here you jerk!"

Gray sighed, "What an idiot."

"Indeed." Lyon agreed.

Erza and Happy just stood there shaking their heads at Natsu's short temper. While Lucy was cheering for Natsu to catch the hobbit creature.

"Hey, so you two gonna fight or should I just knock Lyon out for ya." Lucy whispered to Gray with a fire ball in her hand, extinguishing it after she saw the glare he was sending, causing her to grin and back up in surrender. "Gonna fight gotcha, good luck!"

"Well, come on, let's finish this once and for all!" Gray said.

"Yes lets." Lyon smirked.

* * *

Natsu had finally caught up with the weirdo, "You done running away from me now?!"

The man laughed, "No, actually. I would love to stay and chat, but I've got more important things to do right now. Such as reviving Deliora."

"Like that'll happen." Natsu said.

"Really and why's that?" Zalty asked.

Natsu pointed at him, "Cause Gray's gonna beat Lyon's butt. And I'll be kicking yours" Natsu informed.

"We'll just have to see about that." Zalty said looking over to the monster.

Natsu looked at the demon his eyes widening, "That's moonlight! Who the heck is doing the ceremony right now?!"

"Just one person, which means the moon drip is quite weak right now. However, that's hardly a concern since we've already gathered plenty of moonlight. We just need to give time to apply it." Zalty said, watching as the ice began melting.

"This isn't good! Deliora's ice is melting!" Natsu yelled running back; "I gotta go stop that guy on the roof before things get ugly!"

Zalty waved his hand and the rocks under Natsu crumbled, sending him sliding back down. "Oh ho, now you run away? I cannot allow that"

Barely dodging when Natsu jumped back up with a flame punch.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lucy had gone back to the roof of the temple where she saw the dog man continuing the ritual to melt Deliora. Crossing her arms, Lucy walked up to the enemy angered at his actions.

 _'Almost there'_ he thought to himself. Before the dogman could celebrate he felt a powerful killing intent aimed at him, turning around he saw a fist coming towards his face, and before he could even blink was knocked out.

"Bad dog." Lucy chuckled, putting her hands behind her head as she went to go back to her friends since the Moon Drip was stopped for good.

* * *

Gray frowned as he glanced at the shaking temple walls "I got a bad feeling that ain't Lucy or Natsu."

" No, the Moon Drip ceremony is nearing completion" Lyon panted. "The ice which has been sealing Deliora has begun to melt away."

"There's nothing you can do now. It's too late to stop me" Lyon smirked victoriously. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for this moment Gray? " Sending a flock of birds at Gray Lyon spoke "It wasn't easy bringing Deliora here and gathering Moon Drip for three years".

"So, you've been wasting your time on this plan for three years" Gray yelled, shielding himself with ice to repel the bird missiles.

"How dare you say that? You've wasted ten years in some guild" Lyon screamed

"Because I put my faith in what Ur told me and followed the path, she would've wanted us to go." Gray grunted dodging another ice bird.

" I went west, and I wound up at Fairy Tail" Gray told Lyon. "And she was right. There are so many that surpassed her that I couldn't believe it." A dopey looking blonde grinning flashed through his mind before he refocused on the fight.

"When I got there the old man told me there was one way for getting rid of the ice, I'm positive now he was referring to the moon drip" Gray scowled. "But after all that Ur did for us, you're basically killing her without giving it a second thought".

"Say what you will, I don't care." Lyon grinned. "Everything I've done in life has led up to this moment." An icy beast formed around his hand. "Ur is gone and if we want to show we have surpassed her than what better way to do that than defeat Deliora! The one thing she couldn't"

"That's a pretty ambitious plan, but I can't help but think that you've missed the point along the way" Gray yelled dodging Lyon's attacks. "Someone as blind you could never be better than Ur, not in this lifetime."

Suddenly Gray slashed Lyon across the middle with an instantly formed ice sword. His victory was short-lived, however, when the body turned to ice and the real Lyon emerged behind him.

"Fooled you, didn't I? Ice Make: Snow Tiger!" Lyon roared, sending a huge beast charging at Gray.

Gray made a hand-stand and ice erupted from his hands in the shape of a large cage. "Ice Make: Prison!"

"Is that it?" Gray scowled at his former senior, standing on top of the cage. "You see Lyon, this is what you are. A beast in a cage lashing out at a world he barely knows"

"Utter nonsense" Lyon yelled. "I'll just smash your molding magic-"

He cut himself off when the tiger threw itself at the cage bars repeatedly but failed to free itself

"Single-handed spell casting is too unbalanced." Gray announced, landing in front of the cage. "Your creations will let you down when you down need them the most."

Lyon's jaw dropped when Gray formed an ice rocket launcher on his shoulder. "Ice Cannon!"

" That's what Ur taught us." Gray added as Lyon fell to the ground.

Gray sealed up his wound with his ice magic as Erza and Happy walked up to him

"Nice job Gray!" Happy said flying around the ice mage.

Erza nodded, "Indeed, a bit sloppy, but overall a job well done."

Gray sweat dropped at the S-class mages words, "Thanks, hey, where's flame brain 2.0. I don't see her anywhere."

Face dropping Erza and happy look to see that the blonde demon slayer wasn't by their side anymore. "We looked away for a second" Erza groaned.

Juts then an ear-piercing roar sounded through the temple making them cover their ears.

"Ow, my ears. I can't hear anything!" Happy yelled.

"Well, that doesn't sound too promising!" Erza yelled, running towards the roar.

Gray looked up at the ceiling sweating, "That roar…I could never forget that. They actually revived it." Gray clenched his fists, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Come on we need to go where that sounded from and stop it before it tries to get off the island!" Gray yelled.

* * *

Natsu had just defeated the man who called himself Zalty and was now staring at the revived Deliora. Lucy stood by his side also staring at the demon monster.

"Hey Lucy! Did Gray beat up that Lyon guy?" Natsu asked.

Lucy was about to respond when all the sudden her demon slayer powers flared up causing a huge inferno of fire to surround her, blasting Natsu back.

"Ow, Luce what the heck!" Natsu yelled shaking his head of the pain he felt from hitting the concrete floor. Looking up he sees that Lucy was staring up to the sky where a roar was heard, her magic levels increasing.

"Lucy?" Natsu called, trying for her attention until he heard Happy and the others heading towards them.

Gray looked up, upon seeing that Deliora was revived he couldn't hold back his growl, "Bastards! They actually woke up that monster!"

"It's monstrous!" Erza yelled slightly scared, before getting her forehead pulled close to Lucy's who gently smiled at her. Letting go a few seconds later she begins to walk off, confusing Erza.

* * *

Natsu punched his fists together, "We're gonna have to fight this thing! There's no other choice!"

Lyon was crawling towards the demon badly beaten up but somehow still conscious, "None of you are strong enough...Only I can."

Gray looked at him with pity in his eyes, "Lyon."

"I'm finally going to surpass Ur." Lyon laughed painfully.

Natsu pointed at him, "You can't fight! You can't even get up off the floor!"

Deliora roared, frightening the mages standing in font of it and those on the island.

"I've waited so long. For this moment. She was strong, but still not strong enough to kill that demon. I'm going to do the one thing Ur never could!" Lyon said getting up slowly before falling back down when Gray hit him in his injury.

"Shut up while I clean up your mess". Gray said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Happy questioned.

Natsu realized what he was talking about anger filling his veins, "You're not using Iced Shell! Got that ice dick!"

"Natsu…" Gray said, shocked at his friends' outburst.

"Natsu's right. We'll defeat Deliora without having you resort to using Iced Shell." Erza said putting a hand on his back.

"That's right!" Happy agreed.

Gray looked at all of them, "You guys…" then looking up at the demon when they felt the temple shake.

"What the hell was that!" Natsu yelled.

"Look over there" Happy yelled, catching the attention of the other four mages.

Turning their heads to the commotion they turned to see a white cloak with golden flames already attacking Deliora.

"What the hell! How did Lucy get over there so fast!" Gray yelled.

* * *

Lucy knew that thanks to the ice shell spell Deliora was already in a weakened state, a perk of being able to read your enemies vulnerabilities. It's why she wasn't that worried about leaving her mate alone with just Natsu and Gray. Gray's master was strong being able to weaken it to the point it was basically a husk of a demon.

Lucy looked at the demon of destruction slowly breaking free of its ice containment. Taking a deep breath Lucy leaped onto the demon's body slamming it back with her celestial fire punches. When she saw that its body was cracking, she leaped high into the air to use her finishing move, slamming both fists together and sending a blast of fire towards the demon.

"Celestial Demon Flaming Scarlet WRATH!" Lucy yelled, sending a screeching Deliora back into the temple, slowly breaking apart until it disappeared altogether.

* * *

"Hey Erza, did you hear that move Lucy just yelled" Happy snickered.

"Yeah, kinda sounded like your name in it" Natsu laughed, while also watching his best friend fight the demon relentlessly.

"Man, Lucy sure is smitten with you" Gray smirked.

Blushing red beside the three mages was Erza who couldn't help but shake her head, at what the demon slayer had just yelled.

* * *

As she landed on the ground, she turned to her friends grinning. Glad to see them all safe she opened her arms for a hug from her mate only to receive a punch in the gut causing her to fall to the floor.

"Oomph, Mate. I'm starting to think this is your way of greeting me" Lucy grimaced.

"Do something like that again and I'll kill you myself" Erza said, before smashing the girl into her armor.

"You were awesome Luce, you took down that Demon like it was nothing! And that move!" Natsu yelled.

"How, I was supposed to be the one" Lyon said looking down.

"Don't feel bad Lemon, Deliora was already dead. That thing I just fought was a husk of what it used to be. Your master was one hell of a mage, Gray" Lucy said with a toothy grin.

Lyon and Gray looked to each other in awe, hearing that their teacher had basically defeated Deliora.

* * *

"Woo, we won!" Natsu yelled out in happiness arms behind his head.

"Aye sir!" Happy said.

"We finished this S-class quest all by ourselves!" Lucy yelled in equal excitement.

"Aye! Do you think Master is gonna let us take on more S-Class requests?" Happy asked.

"Why not, we did this one didn't we?" Lucy said sagely.

Erza coughed into her hand, "I believe there's something you're forgetting? You came to this island to help the villagers. They requested you return them to their original forms."

Natsu and Lucy both looked at each other sheepishly. Erza was right, they had yet to complete the mission yet.

"You still haven't completed your S-Class quest yet." She told them, sarcastically.

"My mate is right. The villagers haven't been restored back to normal yet. And it looks like Deliora may not be behind it." Lucy said as she throws an arm around Erza.

Gaining a tick mark on her head from the blonde invading her space, the Scarlet mage ignores it for explaining the situation, "The curse on the island never actually had anything to do with the demon. The villagers have been affected by the intense magic energy released from the moon drips spell, and Deliora's death isn't going to change that"

"Then we better go and change them back!" Natsu said high fiving Happy.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Gray looked at him, "Yeah, but we don't know how flame brain 1.0." he then looked over at his former rival, "Yo Lyon. Do you know?"

" I have no clue." Lyon said, rubbing his head in confusion.

"Seriously?" Natsu questioned.

"When we first arrived three years ago, we were aware there was a village here somewhere on this island. But we had absolutely no reason to communicate with the villagers, so we left them alone. And they never came to the temple to see what we were up to." Lyon explained.

"In three years, you've never once met?" Erza asked, now trying to push off the blonde mage who was far too warm for her liking.

"Something isn't adding up. If the moon drip is bright enough that you can see from everywhere on the island, then why not come to the temple and investigate it?" Lucy questions.

"Obviously the villagers weren't transformed by the moon drip. It doesn't affect the human body." Lyon informed.

"What do you mean?" Erza said.

" You're just saying that so you and your lackeys will be off the hook!" Natsu accused not at all buying it.

"No Natsu, he's telling the truth," Lucy interjected, "He wasted three years under the moon drip, yet I sense no demon aura or deformations on him".

Lyon nodded, "Really?" he deadpanned. Seeing her shrug, he continues "As Lucy bluntly said I've been exposed to it more than they have, and my appearance hasn't changed one bit."

Lucy looked at Natsu, "Told ya".

"I wouldn't trust them. Those villagers are hiding something, but I'm sure your guild can handle it." he said looking away from them.

Erza looked at the ice wizard, " Very well, come everyone. Let's go."

"But what're we gonna do about the curse?" Natsu asked.

Lucy took him under her right arm as she walked passed him, with a reluctant Erza in her left, "I'm sure my mate has an idea".

Lyon noticed Gray was still standing there even though his teammates left already, "What're you still doing here?"

Gray looked at him, "You should join a guild. They're not as bad as you think, and who knows? Maybe you'll like it." he said walking away to catch up with his team.

Lyon watched his retreating figure and huffed, "Join a guild huh?"

* * *

When they returned to the village Erza had ordered everyone to gather at the village center.

"Alright Erza, we're all here so now what?" Gray asked.

"Simple, I'm going to help you finish this quest." Erza said nodding, while still trying to push Lucy off her.

"What do you mean? You know what's the cause of the villagers being demons" Natsu questioned.

"Of course, she does. My mate is smart like that" Lucy said grinning causing Erza to blush as the villagers cooed at the couple. Smacking Lucy away, Erza began to pace back and forth explain what was going on.

"Yes, but first we must destroy the moon" she announced.

"How!" Natsu, Gray and Happy yelled.

"I'm in" Lucy shouted with a fist punch.

"If Lucy would just accompany me to the guard post, we can get it done there" Erza pointed to the highest position in the village.

"Of course, mate!" Lucy said. "I will follow you anywhere" she whispered, wooing some of the tribal woman.

"Man, Lucy is one smooth slayer" Gary whispered to Natsu, who was nodding in agreement.

"Please, just follow me and stay quiet" Erza says trying to hide her blushing face, as she transforms into a different armor grabbing a giant spear.

"Got it!" Lucy salutes, as they finally reach the top of the guard post.

"Now then when I say to, send your strongest fire punch at my spear so it Launches upward" Erza says, getting a nod in understanding Erza positions her spear and tossing it, yells "Now!"

Lucy igniting her foot kicks the spear sending it upward towards the sky where it hit the moon causing a crack.

"Ahhh, the actually did it!" Gray, Natsu and Happy yelled.

The cracks began to spread until not just the moon, but the whole sky seemed to shatter leaving behind a normal colored moon. Walking down from the post Erza began to speak again Lucy following behind with starry eyes.

"As a result of the Moon Drip spell," Erza explained, "A outer shell was created over the island."

"What?"

Rubbing her temples, she continued "The Moon Drip released evil energy in the form of a gas." Erza continued "That gas crystalized and formed an invisible shell in the sky that covered the island. That's why the moon looked purple here."

"Now that the shell is broken, everything will go back to the way it was three years ago."

Suddenly a brilliant light illuminated under the feet of the villagers.

Then, the light vanished; however, nothing changed. The villagers were still in their demonic forms.

"What happened? They're not transforming." Gray asked confused.

"That's because these are their true forms." Erza replied as she walked toward them. "The Moon Drip never had any effect on their appearance. However, it seems to have altered their memories."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Gray inquired.

"So that's why my powers flared up with Bobo when I saw him, he wasn't human, he was a demon the entire time." Lucy explained, nursing her headache.

Happy screamed in shock while Gray and Natsu's jaws dropped.

"The villagers have always been demons." Titania continued.

"Hey is that true?!" Gray demanded, getting in the face of a villager.

"Well…maybe," the villager stuttered, "my memory's still a little hazy. We all looked pretty human when y'all met us, didn't we?"

"Yes," Erza enlightened, "because you all possess the ability to take on human forms. Your false memories led you all to believe that your temporary states were your true forms."

* * *

Happy shrieked girlishly at the sight before him. The group turned to the source and was stunned by who they saw. Gray, Natsu, felt their jaws drop again from the sight of the purple-skinned demon that had appeared out of nowhere.

"It's the guy from the boat!" Gray exclaimed.

"Bobo." Moka felt his eyes tear up and his lips quiver from the sight of his son that he had presumed dead.

"Huh," a confused villager said, "but we thought you were dead!"

"Getting stabbed in the chest hurt pretty bad, but you got to do more than that to kill a demon." Bobo chuckled, backing away when Lucy stepped up grinning only to get knocked on the head by a scarlet woman.

"Apologies. She's an idiot" Erza said dragging Lucy away.

"But…on the boat…you just vanished into thin air." Gray mentioned, trying to get over the man coming back.

Suddenly a pair of black, bat-like wings folded out from behind Bobo's shirt as he leaped into the air, hovering above them with his arms crossed.

"I sure hope you kids can forgive me for not telling you sooner." Bobo said.

"Are you kidding me! You would've saved us a Hella of a lot of time if you had just explained the situation, ya damn demon!" Lucy said struggling in her mates' arms.

Rubbing the back of his head "Yes, in hindsight I guess that would've made things easier" he explained.

Finally, Moka couldn't take it anymore. "B-Bobo," he said. Just like Bobo, a pair of wings unfolded from behind his shirt letting him soar into the air and wrap his son up in a tight hug, tears rolling down his face.

"I'm so glad you snapped out of it, Pops!" Bobo hugged his father back.

The Fairy Tail wizards looked up, happy smiles plastered across their faces.

* * *

Later, the village was throwing a big feast to rejoice in everyone regaining their former identities as demons. The Fairy Tail wizards were guests of honor, but the one who seemed to be praised the most was Lucy, the Ishgar Demon. While Erza, Natsu and Happy sat around a large table along with the other villagers, eating the abundance of food and fire, Lucy was at the head of the table being hand fed fire torches by the tribal women as well as their best meats.

"Man Erza, for someone who doesn't want Lucy as their mate you sure do get jealous a lot" Natsu said nonchalantly.

"Why-I- I have no idea what you're talking about" Erza stuttered.

"Oh yeah, then why ya glaring at Luce being pampered by the hot demon ladies" Natsu grinned, before getting knocked out by Erza.

* * *

The villagers continued their celebration; however, everything came to a halt when two people strolled into the village. The cheering and talking instantly stopped when they saw it was Sherry and Yuka.

Natsu stepped forward, "Alright, what are you guys doing here" as he lit up his right fist with fire.

"I doubt this is going to make up for all the bad things we did…but we wanted to apologize in person." Yuka confessed sincerely.

"The Cold Emperor told us everything." Sherry said. "Thanks to you, we can finally let go of the pain that Deliora caused us so many years ago."

"You mean…" Gray paused, "you were victims of Deliora too?"

"When we were children Deliora ravaged our village, murdering all our friends and family." Yuka explained.

"The Cold Emperor had a plan to kill the demon once and for all." Sherry continued. "That's why we followed him."

"You see," Yuka said, "we wanted revenge. And we were so focused on getting it, we didn't realize we were hurting innocent people."

"We were so blinded by our hatred that we didn't act any better than the demon itself. So, from now on, we'll treat other people with respect…and love." Sherry said.

"Alright then!" Natsu exclaimed happily. "You guys should stick around and join in on the feast, eh?"

"But…we were enemies a second ago." Yuka mentioned, startled by blonde Fairy Tail mages arm being thrown around his shoulder.

"Nonsense, all water under the bridge!" Lucy waved.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea because I'm trying to watch my figure and…"

"Consider this a cheat day", Lucy said as she and Natsu pulled the two mages to the table.

"Alright! Now we're ready to party!" Natsu shouted.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long chapter but I wanted the galuna arc to end so I could get started on phantom lord. Hope you like this chapter and it wasn't too rushed.**


	13. Changeling

Team Natsu had just arrived back to Magnolia and were walking back to Fairy Tail after getting off the ship Erza had taken hold of.

Natsu was smiling ear to ear, "Man am I glad to be off that death trap and heading home!"

Lucy, while also happy for finally getting off the ship, was hanging off Erza who surprisingly had yet to toss her off, "I don't understand. I took a motion sickness pill so why am I still feeling sick" Lucy groaned.

* * *

" _Told you not to take your motion sickness pills every time you when on a moving mechanism, but do you listen" Loke chastised._

" _Now they no longer work brat, this is an after effect of that" Aquarius cackled._

" _I hate you all" Lucy thought._

* * *

"Man, I still can't believe we did all that work and all we got was some lousy gate key" Gray grumbled.

"Yeah and that S-Class reward was big time money." Happy agreed.

"Listen here ice boy, I don't exactly appreciate you calling my keys lousy, so do it again and I'll burn your butt, got it." Lucy threatened.

"Uh, ye-yeah. My bad" Gray said scared out of mind.

Erza chuckled at the blonde's mood change, "Well I'm sorry, but it wasn't an official job. Just be glad you got something out of this."

"Scarlet's right, besides leaving this gate key behind where no one would be able to summon it would have been a shame" Lucy frowned.

"Hey, I got an idea how bout we sell it, Lucy?" Happy said innocently.

"We will do no such thing" Lucy said, " It's rare finding one of the twelve zodiac gate keys, so to have find another is just luck being on my side. "They're incredibly hard to come by" Lucy said.

Natsu looked at her, "Yeah, too bad they're all crazy."

"Natsu, seeing as you're a fellow slayer I'll let you off with a warning but call my spirits crazy again and I won't hesitate to let them come out and give you a good beating." Lucy deadpanned.

Natsu couldn't help but shiver at the thought of that Mermaid lady coming out to fight him alongside her boyfriend. Part of him was itching for the challenge, but the other half screamed warning, warning spirits be crazy!

"Well still, can't be that hard if you have ten gold keys" Gray said.

"Don't be fooled by the number of Zodiacs I have Fullbuster" Lucy said, "getting all these keys took me years. I had to battle a member of the Oracion Seis just for Gemini, Scorpio and Aries"

"Holy hell, you didn't!" Gray, Erza and Natsu yelled in unison.

"I did. She was abusing them not even trying to work together when fighting against other wizards. It was disgusting" Lucy growled, "As a celestial mage it was my duty to take them away from that hostile environment".

"Wow, to go head to head against a member of the Oracion Seis and survive. You really are strong Lucy" Happy exclaimed.

Coughing Gray nods his head "Got it, getting gold keys are hard, so which one of the zodiac keys did you end up getting?" Gray asked.

"Sagittarius the Centaur." She smiled.

"It's a horseman?!" Gray said with excitement.

"Yes and no." She said.

Natsu and Happy were both thinking about what it would look like with a goofy look on their face.

"You're all so carefree," Erza interjected, "It's almost as if you've forgotten you're to face punishment when we get back to the guild."

Natsu and Gray got scared while Lucy looked confused.

"But why?" Natsu whined.

"Everything worked out in the end can't we just forget the whole punishment thing?" Gray suggested."

"I don't get why I'm in trouble I'm more than qualified to do this-" Lucy stopping mid-sentence when a sword touches her face.

"You don't have the title, nor did you get the quest approved by master" Erza said before putting away the sword she had brought out. "Stealing an S-Class request is a serious offense." Erza stated.

"We said we're sorry." Happy said sadly.

Erza sighed, "If you promise that you'll never do it again, then I don't think you need to be penalized by the guild. Unfortunately, I don't have a say in the matter, your fate is in Master Makarov's hands. So, I'm sure you'll be facing punishment."

Happy got a frightened look on his face, "Now I'm scared! You think he's gonna make us do _that_?"

Gray freaked out clutching his head, "Just kill me now! I don't think I can live through that again!"

Lucy crossed her arms, "What's _that?_ I'm not facing my punishment unless you tell me, mate" Lucy said with defiance in her tone.

Erza rolled her eyes.

Natsu grinned, "I'm not worried. I'll talk the old man out of punishing us that guy loves me."

"Oh yeah, I knew I could count on you Natsu" Lucy said as she threw an arm around Natsu.

"Natsu," Erza smirked, "You can't talk your way out of this one. Lucy, stop being an idiot. " She then laughed and proceeded to drag both slayers by their collars to the guild.

* * *

Team Natsu walked inside the guild in a straight line with Erza at the front. Natsu, Gray, and Happy were freaking out while Lucy was busy polishing her keys to notice the gloomy atmosphere between her teammates.

Erza had stopped walking and had them lined up next to each other, "Is Master Makarov here?"

Mira smiled, "You're finally back from your island getaway. So how was it? Did you have fun?"

"It was pretty lame, turned out the island wasn't even cursed and instead I ended having to do more wo-ack" Lucy stopped her rant midway when she felt a fist retract from her stomach.

"It was work not a vacation, and Lucy stop gossiping with Mira when you are still being punished" Erza said sternly, "Now, where is Makarov?"

"He went out of town for some last-minute council meeting or something like that. He's been gone since yesterday." Macao explained, looking to the blonde who was now having a drinking contest with Cana after not even five seconds ago having gotten a fist to the stomach.

"Whew." Natsu, Gray, and Happy sighed out with relief.

Natsu grinned, "Well that was a close one."

"Yes! We won't have to deal with that till gramps gets back." Gray agreed.

"Oh, thank goodness! I was afraid I was gonna have to stare into the face of death! I've still got eight more lives!" Happy wailed happily.

Lucy gasped, "Ha take that Cana bo-Bana-fana fefifo-fana-mana! I drank two whole barrels!"

"Yeah well drink em' and weep" Cana slurred with 5 barrels by her side.

Erza glared at them, "All of you shut up!"

Natsu and Gray held each other, while Happy got behind Lucy who was hugging a barrel.

She looked back at Mira, "Do you know when the master is planning to return."

"No, but I imagine he'll be back anytime now." Mira said.

Erza looked at the four, "Now listen up you fools! You're not getting off the hook! You broke guild rules by taking on that S-Class quest…prepared to be punished."

The three morons held onto each other while Lucy ordered a rematch against Cana.

"Well, it was nice knowing ya." Wakaba smiled, "It's a crying shame. Those two boys are one thing, but I can't believe Lucy's getting punished too. Oh, your poor girl."

"Howsh da ya has such a strong tolerance" Lucy slurred, to Cana.

"Just do" she shrugged

"What's the deal man?! How come you don't feel sorry for us, huh?!" Natsu asked.

"Why are you lumping me in with this loser?!" Gray asked himself.

The two morons then started fighting each other which caused Lucy to join in for the hell of it.

"It's not fair I'm the cutest one here so how come nobody feels sorry for me?!" Happy wailed.

* * *

Natsu was at the request board looking at a weird job request, "That's one creepy looking job request."

"Yeah it is." Gray commented.

"What the heck? I can't even read it." Natsu replied,

Lucy approached them slowly still trying to get over her drunkardness, "What're you doing?"

"No way! You will not be taking requests!" Erza said, slapping the two slayers head.

"Uh, do they have to be so loud" Cana complains.

Romeo grinned, "Who cares? They are like the coolest, especially Lucy! Her demon slayer magic is awesome!"

Cana looked at him, "You're kidding me, right?"

Natsu looked at the request, "Decipher this text and see that you'll increase your wealth by 500,000 jewels?" he grinned at Happy, "This one sounds like a winner to me don't you think?"

Happy smiled, "Sure does!"

"So, it's a translation job? That's a weird request for a guild." Gray stated, "Wait that's ancient crazy stuff. No one's gonna be able to read that."

"Hold on it's written in modern letters too!" Happy observed.

Erza crossed her arms, "I thought I told you no jobs!"

"Well yeah I can totally read that!" Natsu said looking at the request, "Let's see."

Lucy eyed the paper carefully as Natsu tried to read it aloud she knew she had seen this text somewhere during her travels. That's when it hit her "Natsu, don't read this aloud- "

Before she could warn Natsu of the dangers of reading this aloud, her fellow slayers had started reading the words anyway causing a bright light to surround them as he finished reading off the words. Once the light died down, they all just stood there with their mouths opened.

Natsu got up scratching his head, "Why's my mouth taste like fish and fire meat?"

"Uh, probably because you ate that like twenty minutes ago." Elfman said.

Natsu looked around for something, "No I didn't. I haven't eaten anything today" Natsu said confused.

Everyone blinked at what he just said. How could Natsu forget the big meal he had not even a half hour ago, and why does he look more confused than normal?

Gray then woke up "What the heck, my back is killing me", leaning forward trying to stretch he goes, "And why do I feel like I'm wearing ten tons of clothing on?"

"Uh maybe cause you're wearing armor?" Elfman offered.

"What I don't wear armor?" Erza growled at him, "Where's Natsu, can't face me dragon breath?!" it was then the scarlet noticed something wasn't right, "Why do I sound like a girl?"

Macao looked over to her, "I'm no doctor, but I'd say it's probably because you are a girl."

Lucy's eyes suddenly got big, "What the? What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm on fire! Mira get me some cold-water stat!" she took the offered pitcher of water and tossed it on her body watching the steam roll off, "Mavis that felt good."

Macao looked at her, "Hey are you feeling alright Lucy? You're acting a little weird, more so than usual I mean"

"What in the world are you talking about?" Erza than looked over and saw her face. She facepalmed at the person who had done this, "Idiot."

"Whoa, why's everyone looks so big?" Happy asked in awe.

They looked over and saw the cat with starry eyes, pulling on Lucy's cloak who currently now was Erza.

"Oh, wow Natsu! Check it out!" Gray yelled in excitement then looked over his shoulder, "Where'd did he go?"

Happy looked at him, "I'm standing right here buddy, look I'm you! he yelled.

Gray looked at the Happy "I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I was a cat a few minutes ago".

"I don't understand what's happened to me. I've never felt so hungry, hot and sleepy. How is that even possible." Lucy mumbled to herself.

Everyone was trying to process what was happening right now.

Lucy looked at them, "How can you be such an idiot! Don't you realize what has happened to us?! We've all switched bodies!"

"WHAT?!" they all yelled, confused on how this all happened.

Happy flew up to Lucy's face pulling on her cloak, "Stop fooling around Lucy!"

"I'm Erza you dimwit!" Erza/Lucy yelled.

A tick mark formed on Erza/Lucy's head, "Silence! Now listen up! All of us have switched bodies! That means Natsu is in Happy's body, Lucy in Natsu's, Happy in Gray's, Gray in Mine, and worst of all I in Lucy's.

"Why's switching with me the worst of all?!" Lucy/Natsu yelled, "You should be honored, you're now a Wizard Saint Mate" Lucy chuckled.

"Shut up!" Erza/Lucy yelled.

"I see, the ancient spell has been cast. You kids aren't feeling like yourselves today huh?" Makarov said having just arrived.

Lucy/Natsu approached the old man grinning, "Yo Makarov, how was your meeting?"

"It was alright thank you," Makarov smiled back, " Lucy is in Natsu's body, I heard"

"Got it in one" Lucy/Natsu said with a peace sign.

Erza/Lucy also approached, "Master your back!"

"Gramps!" Natsu/Happy said having flew to the old man as well.

"I had noticed that request on the board. By reading what was written on that page out loud you've cast a powerful spell of personality transference. And that spell is called the "Changeling." Makarov explained.

Lucy/Natsu nodded her head, "Yeah now that I think about it, I remember running across a spell like this".

Gray/Erza grabbed Natsu/Happy out of the air, "So you're really Natsu right?"

Natsu/Happy gulped, "Yeah..."

Gray/Erza grabbed his collar, "You idiot! What did you do to us?!"

Natsu/Happy got in his face, "Me? All I did was try to read the stupid job request! And Mira will you please get me a fish I'm hungry?!

"That's enough Erza, oh sorry I mean Gray," Makarov said scratching his cheek, "For wizards this spell switches more than just your bodies. It switches magic as well."

"SAY WHAT?!"

Lucy/Natsu frowned, "If that's true than I no longer have my celestial spirits, or my demon slayer powers".

"There's something else you should know," Makarov continued, "If the changeling spell is not undone within thirty minutes from the time it was initially cast…you will never return to the way you were before, or so says the legend at least."

"EH?!"

Erza/Lucy approached Mira, "Do you know how many minutes we've been mixed up for?!"

"16," Mira said, "So you have 14 minutes left."

She looked over at Makarov, "Master isn't there a way to lift the spell and change us back?!"

Makarov thought about it, "Hmmm, since this is such an ancient magic. It would only stem to reason that I…don't know. Thought I must say I'm disappointed I was looking forward to punishing you." he said walking away.

They were dumbfounded by the information, how could someone with such knowledge have no idea how to change them back.

"Alright that does it I can't take this anymore!" Gray/Erza yelled getting ready to take his armor off much to Macao, Wakaba, and Elfman's liking.

Lucy/Natsu had other plans and lit up his fists, much to the surprise of everyone. Swiftly heading to the spot her mate was Lucy/Natsu wrapped both arms around Gray effectively stopping him from removing the armor he was wearing.

Lucy/Natsu looked at him, "Sorry, but only I get to see Erza naked, got it Ice boy. Try to take her armor off again an I'll burn your body's butt".

Gray/Erza quickly put his arms back to his sides nodding, scared.

Natsu turned to walk away only to feel a punch to his stomach by Lucy. "Idiot, stop making people think I let you see my body naked!" Erza shouted.

"Sorry mate, but I had to protect your virtue" Lucy groaned.

"Hey, look Lucy used Natsu's magic, maybe that means we all can. How'd you do it Lucy?" Happy/Gray observed.

Erza/Lucy looked at her, "Indeed, how exactly did you do that?"

"I don't know I just felt like lighting up my fists so I could punch Gray" Lucy said.

"Hey that's how I feel when I wanna fight Gray" Natsu said flying around the guild.

"That's the most simplistic explanation I've ever heard and also the most useless" Erza/Lucy sighed.

"How can I be in such a strong body yet do nothing. I only feel hungry and like a nap would feel really good right now" Erza/Lucy said depressed.

"Man, I really wanna use Gray's magic" Happy/Gray complained.

"Man, this sucks I'll never be S-class like this!" Natsu/Happy complained.

Gray/Erza scowled, "I don't have any idea how to use Erza's magic at all." He then proceeded to lift up Erza's armor.

A tick mark appeared on Lucy's head but as she went to punch the mage, she was beaten by a blur who instead grabbed the boy again and whispered something in his ear making him go pale and sit on his hands.

"What did you say?" Erza/Lucy asked.

"I said if anyone sees my mates' body before me, I'll burn something precious of his off his body" Lucy said eating a piece of fire meat.

Makarov raised a brow at that, "Ouch".

* * *

Later Levy came in and said she'd try her best to decipher the text so that they could all get back into their normal bodies much to their relief.

Erza/Lucy, "Listen up everyone. We need to let Levy work in peace." She looked to see she had a piece of fire meat in her hand, "When did I even order this?"

"Yeah, Levy, levy she's the man, if she can't do it, then we're doomed" Lucy/Natsu chanted, before Gray/Erza and Natsu/Happy started pounding on her.

"Ahh, mate help!" Lucy called, for Erza only for her to be ignored. "I don't understand why I'm so hungry Mira, but no matter how much food you bring out, it's just not enough" Erza/Lucy cried, "Now I understand why she eats so much".

"There, there Erza" Mira soothed.

"That's it, I've got it!" Levy yelled.

They all looked at her and approached.

"Really? You've figured out how to break the spell?" Natsu/Happy asked.

Levy smiled, "This is what it says. May this external exchange provide you with eternal happiness. Kind of cute isn't it?"

"Yeah and?" Natsu/Happy questioned.

"In other words, anybody who's been switched by the spell will live happily ever after. You're so lucky!" Levy smiled.

Lucy/Natsu raised a brow, "Really? Cause I don't feel happy. I mean sleeping with Erza is gonna be one awkward affair ya know".

Those in the guild unable to hold back their laughter until they see Erza/Lucy glaring at them.

Gray/Erza sighed, "We wanted you to lift the spell not read it, remember?"

"Oh, that's right! Sorry." Levy apologized.

Lucy/Natsu pulled Gray/Erza's cheek hard, "Ignore him lil' Levy. You can do this just take your time and you'll be able to figure it out."

Levy rolled her eyes at the name and smiled, "Right." And with that she went right back to work to try and reverse the spell with encouragement from Jet and Droy.

"You've guys got 30 seconds left." Macao announced with Plue holding the sign right next to him.

Lucy/Natsu looked at the little guy, "And just who exactly summoned you little guy?"

"Puuun Puuun!" Plue said.

"Hold on you guys I've got it!" Levy announced.

Macao held up the sign, "Now 12…11…" he started counting down.

"Seriously?" Natsu/Happy questioned.

"Alright, I'll try to explain it to you guys really quick." Levy said.

"10…9…" Macao said still counting down.

Lucy/Natsu whacked him upside the head sending him into one of the tables, "No time just change us back, lil' Levy!"

Levy nodded, "Yeah right, okay here it goes." A white light started shining all around them and letters appeared off the page. Levy was repeating the same words repeatedly. When the light died down everyone found they were back inside their original bodies.

Lucy was the first to notice, "Cool, looks like I'm back to normal."

"Hey me too!" Gray said, "Man that was close."

Lucy grinned, "Gray, your drooling."

He noticed it and covered his mouth making Wakaba sweat-drop himself.

"Were you doing that on purpose?" he asked.

"Nice job Levy-sensei! You're awesome!" Lucy complimented.

She gave her a thumbs up, "Oh yeah!"

"So how did you figure it out?" Gray asked.

"Well when I found that the words had no meaning, I decided to read them backwards. It's an old trick, ancient languages like this usually don't have that many letters, so sometimes they had to be a little bit more creative with how they use their words. That's why when I reversed the words, I reversed the spell too." Levy explained.

Lucy smiled, "Well it worked. I think everyone's back to normal now."

Gray nodded, "We owe you big time Levy."

She giggled, "Don't worry about it."

Happy and Erza sighed then yelled, "Nothing's okay because we just switched bodies!"

"What!" they all yelled.

Natsu/Erza began shaking, "Noooo, I'm Erza!"

"Whoa, now I'm you Natsu!" Happy/Natsu smiled.

"And I am a stupid cat" Erza said falling to her paws.

Macao held up the zero sign, "Well that does it for time. You did get one pair switched back, so I guess that's something to be proud of."

Levy picked up the paper nervously, "Sorry, maybe I didn't pronounce it right."

"WHAT?!"

"So that's it?! We're stuck like this forever?!" Natsu and Erza yelled.

"I'm okay with this" Happy/Natsu yelled.

"Why are you crying, Lu-chan?" Levy asked when she heard Lucy crying dramatically, "You're back to normal".

She paused her crying for a moment and pointed, "My mate is a cat...that's weird even for me!"

The guild couldn't help but sweat-drop at the girls' words, "Of course that's what she'd be worried about!"

* * *

Just to tide you over until phantom lord sorry it's taking so long hope you enjoy this. Thank you to those who leave comments I truly enjoy when you give me feedback.


	14. Phantom Lord

Thank you for all the follows and the constant reviews. I'm sorry for the long wait. Also I made Lucy a year older than canon for timeline and stuff, and just becuase I felt like it. Also I'll try to update the next half soon. Thanks again.

* * *

"Was that an awesome job Luce picked or what?" Natsu laughed as he and the rest of the team walked through the streets of Magnolia heading back to the guild.

"Sure was, Lucy should be in charge of picking more missions from now on." Happy replied.

"Well yeah, I only choose the best for myself" Lucy said as she struggled to wrap an arm around Erza, who continued to push her off, which reminds me, why did you guys join when this was a simple solo mission." she said showing the request paper asking for help finding a lost dog for 5,000 jewels. "Not that I mind my beloved Erza's company" she winked, only to get her head bashed into the ground.

"Oh, come on, isn't it obvious?" the Dragon Slayer asked laughing at his friend's misfortune.

"No." Lucy groaned from the floor, getting a grimace from Gray and Happy.

"We're Fairy Tail's strongest team, literally, so we have to stick together." Natsu answered giving her a toothy grin and a thumbs up.

"Aye sir," Happy agreed.

"And don't you forget it." Gray added.

Erza only nodded in agreement, feeling slight guilt for hitting the blonde so hard.

"No job is too tough." Natsu stated with confidence. "Not for you, me, Happy, Erza, even icicle pants here."

"Watch it." Gray grumbled.

"We are quite a capable bunch." Erza admitted happily.

Lucy jumped up with renewed vigor, surprising everyone after she looked like she was on the verge off passing out from Erza's punch. Looking to the confused group, she waves off their concern, then proceeds to gather them in a group hug.

"Welcome to Team Natsu then!" Lucy said, inviting Virgo out to toss confetti towards the two, garnering a smile.

"Thanks Lucy" Gray said

"Yes, thank you for accepting us into your team" Erza said.

"Of course, like I'd let anyone else take my mate for themselves." Lucy says laughing at the thought, causing Erza to facepalm and Gray to chuckle.

* * *

"Hey Lucy" Gray spoke up.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering, you're 18, right?"

"Yup! And I've already found my mate, unbelievable right!"

"I'm not your mate" Erza growled at the celestial mage/demon slayer who ignored her words and instead wrapped her arm around her waist.

"Yeah, congrats. Anyway, I was just wondering how exactly someone your age, became a wizard saint, while wielding such powerful magic, yet has the education of a 12-year-old... no offense" Gray asks regretting his question when he sees the glares, he was receiving from Erza and Natsu. Though when they looked at Lucy, expecting her to look insulted, they instead saw her standing in place with furrowed eyebrows deep thought.

Lucy couldn't help but think over Grays words. She never really thought about it, but it was true she was at times denser than others. Her social cues were horrible and most of the time she needed help from her spirits to figure that out.

 _It's not your fault Miss Lucy, Lucifer wasn't the best teacher, Capricorn justifies._

 _And besides brat, don't you remember what Lucifer said about the affects your power would have on you, Aquarius chastises the blonde when she senses her think lowly of herself._

While Lucy thinks back to what Lucifer had told her about her powers, behind her Gray was getting a smackdown from Erza on etiquette. "How dare you insult Lucy's intelligence! She may a bit dense but that is nothing to question her on!" Erza said punching Gray into the ground. Natsu was on the side staring daggers at his longtime frenemy in disbelief that he would ask such a thing to Lucy.

"To be honest, Luce wasn't the greatest at teaching me how to read and stuff like that so that's why I get stumped a lot. And since I was the first human, he ever had contact with, the only social skills he ever taught me were how to court my mate. I have a lot of trouble reading social cues, because most of my skills come from what I learned from my spirits." Lucy laughs.

Gray goes to apologize for bringing up the subject when Lucy continues, "But it's also because of my powers" she explains shocking all of them.

"What do you mean by that Luce?" Natsu asks confused.

"Demon slayer powers can drive the user's soul to be tainted and eventually lose their sanity. And throughout my travels I've extinguished a lot of demons. I was strong enough to avoid this fully with the use of my light magic, but that doesn't mean I don't have drawbacks in replace of that. Instead I just have a harder time of understanding things" Lucy said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Lucifer said eventually with enough studying I can overcome that, which is why I'm having Levy tutor me on the side, so I can be smarter" Lucy said with a toothy grin.

"Lucy, you're not... you're already very smart" Erza said softly.

"I think you guys forget I'm a demon slayer, so my senses are enhanced ten times that of the human person. Probably more. I hear everything you guys say in the guild" Lucy says smiling, causing a slight feeling of guilt to run down the other mages body. "Then again what I lack in smarts, I make up in battle strategy" Lucy chuckled, walking ahead of the other three with her hands behind her head.

"Now come on, are we gonna stand here and talk all day or are we gonna head to the guild and get some of Mira's yummy food!" Lucy yelled from ahead.

"Yeah Lucy, let's go!" Natsu yelled, wanting to quickly change the subject. The other mages hanging back with a slight sense of guilt running down their spines.

* * *

As the team strolled down the street, passing Magnolia citizens stared at them and whispered to one another. They looked at them with what appeared to be sympathy.

"What are they all staring at?" Lucy asked looking at the crowd, "Oh no, is there something on my cloak!"

"No Lucy, they're staring at all of us." Happy commented, then looking at her cloak "Your cloak is fine".

"They look like they're pitying us" Erza stated, abruptly stopping to look at something in front of her. This caused Lucy and Natsu to bump into her having not let go of each other yet.

"What the heck Erza?" The two slayers yelled from the ground.

When the rest of the group followed her gaze, they were dumbfounded at the sight before them. From the distance, the Guild Hall was not at all in the form from when they had last seen it. Instead from where they stood large metal columns were sticking out in random spots all over the building.

"What? Why does the Guild look so…bizarre?" Erza wondered.

The Team continued down the path that led to the Guild Hall. When they finally reached their destination, they were dumbstruck. Several giant metal pillars were protruding out from the guild hall; one was sticking out through the Fairy Tail sign above the front entrance.

"No way," Gray muttered.

"What's happened to it?" Erza asked.

"Someone put iron poles through the building Erza, even I could see that from here." Lucy said, surprised Erza couldn't tell.

"Yes, I know. I meant, you know what never mind" Erza said shaking her head.

"Our Guild," Natsu snarled, clenching his fists. "It's been destroyed."

"But who would do such a thing?" Erza wondered.

"It was Phantom Lord." a female voice answered.

The team, minus Lucy, turned around to see Mirajane standing behind them, ready to break into tears.

"Are you serious?" Gray said calmly.

"You mean Phantom did this?" Natsu growled looking at Mirajane with pure fury in eyes.

"We couldn't do anything to stop them. They got us good when we weren't expecting it." Mirajane sobbed.

"Phantom Lord…...is this a... dark guild perchance" Lucy said hoping it was so she could destroy it.

"Uh, no. Phantom Lord, is more of a rival Guild to us and a powerful one at that." Gray explained to Lucy "We've never been on the best terms with those jerks…as you can see."

"Damn" Lucy whispered. The celestial mage hoping it was so she could go and destroy it without any repercussions.

* * *

The group proceeded into the building and headed down a flight of stairs that led to the basement. The basement apparently was mainly used for storage but since there were iron pillars everywhere, it was the only place in the Guild Hall unaffected by the devastation.

The rest of the Guild was sitting at makeshift tables, either eating, drinking, or brooding. Currently the entire guild's morale was low, not at all what Fairy Tail was usually like.

"Yo! What's up kids?" Makarov slurred, obviously drunk if the mug of beer was any indication.

"Sup" Lucy greeted, ignoring Makarovs drunken state.

"I apologize for us not being here sooner." Erza added, skipping greetings entirely.

"Why the heck is everyone just sitting around down here?!" Natsu demanded angrily.

Natsu was ignored as the old wizard shifted his gaze to Lucy. "How did it go, Lucy? Did yah finish the job like a good girl?"

"Listen up old man, no one treats me like a child except Lucifer got it" Lucy growled, heading towards the makeshift bar for a beer.

"Yes, yeah, understood." Master said sweating from the glare he had just received from the blonde.

"Master," Erza said firmly, "how can you act so calm when the guild has been vandalized?"

"The Guild Hall has been completely destroyed!" Natsu shouted.

"Don't work yourself up you two." Makarov responded as he took a big gulp of beer. "It isn't the end of the world."

"What?" Gray asked, stunned at the master's reply.

"This just shows how cowardly those wannabe mages are at Phantom Lord" Makarov continued "They attacked when no one was here, how is that worth bragging to anyone?"

"Nobody was here?" Erza said curious about why they would do such a thing.

"It was after everyone had already left for the night." Mirajane explained quietly still shocked over the events. Although she knew that the master was right, and they shouldn't be worked up over an empty guild being destroyed this was her home and she was just as mad as the rest of the members that her home was destroyed.

"I suppose we can be thankful for that." Erza sighed in relief. "At least no one in our guild was hurt in the attack."

"Lucifer said that when enemies sneak in and attack you behind your back then you do the same but tenfold" Lucy said casually across the hall.

"See!" Natsu yelled, "Even Lucy thinks we should".

"I never said that, I just gave you Lucifer's advice" Lucy said sage like, as she chugged her beer.

"We shouldn't trouble ourselves with people who don't even have the guts to face us head on." Makarov asserted. "Forget about those fools."

Suddenly, Natsu slammed his fist into a wooden crate, putting a large hole in it sending wood chips flying getting everyone's attention.

"Isn't gonna happen, gramps!" the pink haired wizard shouted angrily. "We can't just let them trash our place and get away with it!"

"We're not talking about this any longer." Makarov replied calmly. "We'll handle job requests down here until the upstairs is repaired."

"We shouldn't be worrying about jobs right no-"

"NATSU!" Makarov yelled cutting off the Dragon Slayer. "That's enough out of you!"

"Fair warning Makarov…the last person to try and grope me was buried six feet under...alive." Lucy stated while downing her flaming shot, causing an arm and the hand attached to it to freeze just short of her rear and retract back to a horrified Makarov. _This girl truly is a demon!_

"Hands to yourself, master!" Mirajane admonished, "And Lucy please don't threaten Master so severely" Mira requested, getting a shrug in response.

The master of Fairy Tail then jumped off the crate he was sitting on and ran across the room.

"Where are you going old man?" Natsu demanded still infuriated.

"Oh, relax." Makarov retorted. "I gotta take a leak."

"I don't understand why he's being like this." Natsu said as his ire dimmed looking at the floor.

"Listen, this is just as hard on him as it is for you. " Mirajane said her tone becoming subdued again. "He's mad, but conflict between the Guilds is strictly forbidden by the council."

"But that's not fair!" yelled Natsu. "Those Phantom creeps started it!"

"I know, but that doesn't matter." The white-haired girl responded.

"If the master's decision is to not retaliate, then we must respect it." Erza said with a hint of reluctance in her voice.

""Relax Natsu" Lucy said putting her arm around Erza, ignoring her glare. " We just gotta wait for Lord phantom to make the first move that way when we attack, we can claim self-defense."

"What are you talking about, we could easily destroy them now!" Natsu protested.

"Well no duh, you guys have me on your side. I could easily blow that place up" Lucy laughed, ignoring the nervous looks from her guildmates "But look Natsu, fights like these, it's just best to play the waiting game".

"What do you mean play the waiting game?" Natsu asked, surprised at his best friend being so level headed.

" If we're seen attacking Phantom Lord over something, what's that word Levy-chan taught me,… oh frivolous", Levy's eyes shining at the fact the girl was putting use their tutoring lessons, "as destruction of a guild, we could cause the Magic council to disband Fairy Tail and those jerks will be getting exactly what they want" Lucy stated shaking her head.

"Whoa Lucy, I think that's the smartest thing you've said in all your time here at the guild" Max said, a round of agreement from everyone in the guild.

Lucy glared at Max before retorting, "That's why I'm the wizard saint and you're not" before getting glomped by a small bluenette who was so happy at how she used the word frivolous in the correct context. Meanwhile the guild was laughing at the frowning sand mage.

"So, what, we're gonna do nothing?!" Natsu shouts to nobody.

"Yup, for now we wait" Lucy replied, as she patted Levy's head in thanks, "I know it's a drag, trust me. But if Phantom Lord really wants a war, then they'll get impatient from us not doing anything and do something stupid, like attack someone from the guild. When that happens, we strike back claiming self-defense".

"But I hate waiting." Natsu complained.

"We have no choice, Natsu. It's either that or Fairy Tail throws down first and we get in trouble" Lucy stated.

"She's right Natsu." Makarov said as he returned and hopped back up onto his crate. "It's better for the guild in the long run if Phantom Lord were the ones who started it and that's only if they really are looking for a fight. So just let it go for now."

While Natsu grumbled angrily, Lucy went to get another drink thinking of ways to destroy Phantom Lord without getting caught.

Lucy, this isn't the Alvarez Empire you can go to jail if you do that, Loke scolded, popping up to greet everyone.

"Tsk, fine be that way kill joy" Lucy complained going back to drinking her beer.

* * *

"What a drag Plue." Lucy sighed as she teetered along the canal's edge with Plue. "I wanted to take my mate out on a date but nooo, instead this stupid Phantom Lord guild pops up and destroys our guild" jumping off the canal she looks to the sky. "What do you think would help me win Erza over faster Plue?"

Plue wobbled along happily, humming to himself.

"That's brilliant Plue. After this whole Phantom mess, I'll sneak into her apartment since the girls there refuse to let me in, where I'll set up a candle lit dinner, then I'll serve her strawberry cake. After we'll watch a scary movie where I'll protect her from the scary parts and then when the moments right, we kiss!" Lucy says pumping her fist in the air with Plue mimicking her.

* * *

"Big brother shouldn't we tell Lucy that breaking into someone's apartment isn't very romantic?" Virgo asked, the cackling lion.

"No. I want to see how this goes" Loke says.

* * *

Eventually Lucy made it back to her apartment and entered, immediately heading for her room. When she entered, she gasped in surprise at who she saw, a giant grin erupting on her face. _Maybe I won't have to break into her apartment Afterall._

"Your bedroom is very nice." Erza complimented sitting at a table with a cup of tea.

"Mate, what are you doing here", falling to one knee and grabbing her hand, "did you finally accept my proposal to sleep-ack", Lucy failed to finish what she was saying when Erza slammed a fist in her stomach, flustered.

"No" then taking a deep breath Erza composed herself to speak again, "Look since the guild's been attacked, we've determined that Phantom Lord members are most likely in town," Erza said matter-of-factly, sipping some tea.

"They've probably found out where everyone in Fairy Tail lives by now," Gray added, "So Mira, said it'd be safer if we held up together. You know, strength in numbers".

"Yes, that makes sense." Lucy agreed, frowning at not being alone with her mate, but still enjoying the fact that she was even in her apartment. _She came to me so obviously she must want to spend time with me._

* * *

"That's why everyone in Fairy Tail is having a slumber party tonight!" Happy said popping up.

"You are an attractive teenage girl after all. I wasn't entirely comfortable with you just being alone here with Natsu and Gray." Erza said with a smile. "I felt I could only relax if I stayed here as well" regretting her words immediately, when she saw the smirk on Lucy's face.

"Pfft, the only person I'd ever allow to touch me is you Erza" Lucy said with a wink.

"And that's why we decided we couldn't leave her alone with you" Gray mumbled, getting a glare from Lucy.

"It's not time to relax," Natsu grumbled with a huff as he sprawled himself out on the floor, Plue mimicking Natsu and lying next to him.

"So, it was already decided that you're all going to stay with me?" Lucy yawned, not angry at all but excited at the prospect of having her first ever, as Happy called it slumber party.

"Yup. Well actually everyone wanted to stay with you since, you know wizard saint and all but Team Natsu called dibs" Gray chuckled.

Chuckling along with Gray, Lucy found the thought funny, then agreed that it was only fair Team Natsu got first dibs.

"Woah, you sure have a lot of dirty clothes," Happy said, rummaging through her things, "How come you have so many clothes, but only one cloak? Wouldn't you want a lot of cloaks in case that one gets ruined?" Happy asked.

"I'm pretty lazy when it comes to washing clothes" Lucy grinned, "And I technically have my wizard saint cloak too, but this is the only cloak you'll ever see me wear" Lucy said clutching it tightly.

"Why?" Erza asked.

"This cloak was given to me by Lucifer himself before he disappeared" Lucy said clutching her cloak, "Luce and my spirits created it themselves, even embedding his magic in it so it's physically impossible for this cloak to be ruined" hugging the cloak close to her.

"Whoa" Happy and Natsu said looking at the cloak. Natsu, clutching his scarf, now felt especially closer to Lucy, Igneel have done the same thing for him.

* * *

"Well now that story time is over, we need to move on to another serious problem" Erza stated getting the three mages attention.

"What's that" they said in unison.

" Your hygiene." Erza interrupted changing the subject. "I refuse to sleep in a room that reeks of sweat."

"I don't wanna take a bath right now," Natsu whined, laying on the floor eating a lollipop, Plue had found.

"But I already got into bed," Gray agreed lying on Lucy's bed.

"Yeah, can't we just go to bed?" Lucy whined waving her arms back and forth, Plue imitating her.

"It's settled, Lucy said we can go to bed all sweaty!" Natsu said jumping up.

"Come on boys, do we have to take a bath together like when we were kids?" Erza asked, making both boy blush with embarrassment at those memories.

"Oooh, I wouldn't mind taking a bath with you mate!" Lucy said perking up at the thought of a bath with Erza.

Coughing into her hand Erza blushed "Uh, on second thought you three are capable of getting a bath by yourself" Erza said heading for a bath, Lucy behind her until she felt two pairs of hands trying and failing to pull her back. She was only stopped from entering when she got an armored hand to the stomach, causing her, Gray and Natsu to fall over in a dogpile.

"Fine, I can wait", Lucy groaned, "But don't think I haven't noticed you've yet to take off my courting bracelet Scarlet, I will win you over!" Lucy yelled through her bathroom door, causing Natsu, Gray and Happy to laugh and Erza to slap her forehead.

* * *

You sure this is okay?" Droy asked as Team Shadow Gear walked down the streets of Magnolia after the sun had set.

"Shouldn't you stay with Laki and the others at the girl's dorm?" Jet agreed.

"It's fine, I don't want to split up our team," Levy replied happily, unaware of the blushes on her teammates faces.

"The three of us can face anything together!" Jet cheered.

"I'll always protect you," Droy added, with just as much enthusiasm as Jet.

"No, I will!" argued Jet.

The three stopped, to turn around as they heard something rushing at them from behind. They didn't even have time to cry out before darkness took them.

* * *

Lucy quietly emerged from the bathroom with a freshly changed pair of pajamas on stretching.

"Okay Natsu, I'm done with my bath it's your turn." she said before pausing and chuckling when she saw that he'd fallen asleep.

"Wanna take his place?" Lucy asked Gray.

"Hmm" the ice mage said, busy looking at all the trinkets and photos the girl had from different continents in awe of the many places she had traveled.

"You should, it was so relaxing," Erza sighed, sitting on Lucy's bed wearing just her towel to conceal her modesty.

Lucy couldn't contain her grin, confusing Gray.

"Uh what's up Lucy" he asked. Lucy kept quiet as she shook her head, shrugging and going to change, when she came out, she saw her Erza was still in a towel now laying in her bed, and decided to address the fact.

"I'm happy you feel so comfortable marking your scent in my home Erza" Lucy said not able to contain her toothy grin. "Usually it's the other way around but the other girls refuse to let me into Fairy Hills, so I guess this works too".

Jumping up she used her Requip Magic to change into her Heart Kreuz pajamas. "I was not doing anything like that!"

"Oh really, only someone who was comfortable with their mate would be so willing to lay practically naked in their bed" Lucy said smugly as she read off one of the steps to courting your mate, carefully watching as Erza went to make herself another cup of tea, almost spilling.

"That proves nothing your bed is just comfy" Erza countered.

"Yes, and when we mate-oomph" bending over Lucy held her stomach looking to Erza. "I'm starting to think these are your way of saying you love me" Lucy chuckled.

"Yes, that's exactly what they are" Erza growled.

* * *

"I know I haven't been a member long so I wouldn't know" Lucy said as she stretched her body across Erza. " But do you have any ideas as to why Phantom Lord would try to provoke a fight now?"

"I'm afraid I don't," Erza replied long giving up on trying to move Lucy's body off hers, instead crossing her arms above the blondes' head and getting a thoughtful look on her face, "We have had our fair share of scuffles with them in the past, but never anything on this sort of magnitude before."

"If Gramps wasn't so scared of them, we could wipe out those punks once and for all." Natsu grumbled now awake.

"Come on, you know Master isn't afraid of them Natsu," Gray interjected, "You seem to be forgetting we have two of the Ten Wizard Saints" , looking to Lucy who gave a peace sign.

"Then why wait, if we have two of the Ten Wizard saints who are the most powerful wizards on the continent then we have a way better chance of winning." Natsu yelled.

"Natsu, you can't just run into battle without a plan" Lucy said, eating cake Virgo had brought out.

"Where did you get that?" Erza demanded with a sword at Lucy's face.

"Virgo" Lucy says pointing to the maid spirit behind her. "Hello. Princess said she was having a slumber party, so I took the liberty of making snacks". Presenting a table of different desserts.

Before Lucy and the others could grab another, they were pushed to the side for Erza to start eating them.

"If I'm really your mate you'll let me have them all" Erza says muffled.

"Now hold on Virgo made those for us all" Gray protested, before backing away when a flaming punch nears his face.

"Let my mate eat" Lucy threatened.

Natsu slammed his hands on the table.

"Enough messing around guys! We can't just sit here and eat cake. We need to do something. Gramps is just afraid that Phantom has too many members for us to handle, but with us there we can handle it!"

"First off, Erza's the only one eating cake" Gray said.

"Second, that is not true, and you know it. It's just like Master and Lucy said, the consequences of us going to war with Phantom are nowhere near worth the fight" Gray said.

"They got nothing on us," Natsu boasted, "We could crush those clowns easy."

"No," Erza intervened with a stern tone. "If we were to fight them then neither guild would survive. With Lucy on our side the scales have tipped" Erza explained.

"See! then we would be fine" Natsu exclaimed.

"No, we must also factor in their elite group of wizards like our S-Class known as the Element Four. Not to mention biggest threat possibly being 'Black Steel Gajeel,' I believe that he's most likely the one behind the guild halls destruction. He's known as the Iron Dragon Slayer" Erza finished.

"Whoa, another dragon slayer! Natsu you should go up against him so we can see who's stronger; you or him!" Lucy announced.

"What are you talking about Luce, you already know I'm stronger!" Natsu said slightly insulted.

"oh, yeah sorry" Lucy said, sheepishly.

* * *

Meanwhile at Phantom Lords Guild hall Gajeel was trying to eat a plate full of metal but was being bother by another one of his Guild mates bragging about what Gajeel had done to their rival guild.

" I compliment your excellent work, Gajeel," said Master Jose as he entered the room and looked down from a balcony.

"Eh, I figured destroying their guild wasn't good enough." Gajeel said darkly "So I decided to leave them a little something' extra."

"Very good, my boy." Jose praised the Iron Dragon Slayer "Now all we need to do is wait for Juvia and Sol to accomplish their mission and acquire our guest of honor."

* * *

"How do we figure out who sleeps in Lucy's bed" Gary asked, scratching his head.

"I don't know, usually I was the company at other people's places" Lucy said, not noticing Erza's glare.

"Ooh how about an all-out brawl!" Natsu said lighting his fists up.

"I'm in!" Lucy said lighting her fists up and calling out Loke.

"You rang beautiful" Loke asks bowing.

"Yeah! We're gonna brawl for my bed" Lucy says bouncing back and forth on her feet positioning herself towards Gray and Natsu. "You take Gray and I take Natsu" Lucy says.

"Uh, okay. Who takes Erza?" Loke says confused at what was occurring right now.

"What?" Gray, Natsu and Lucy says momentarily forgetting about the S-class mage.

Turning to see where the S-class mage was they see Erza already tucked in Lucy's bed with her eyes covered, Happy right next to her. This led to Loke disappearing, cackling at his master's misfortune. The three mages couldn't help falling to their knees and groaning.

"How did we forget about Erza?" Gray said unrolling his snowflake sleeping bag that Virgo brought out.

"I don't know, but what I do know is Erza cheated!" Natsu grumbled as he unrolled his dragon sleeping bag.

"My mate is cunning, but next time that won't work" Lucy agreed as she unrolled her Aquarius constellation, sleeping bag.

* * *

The next morning the four teammates had gotten dressed and left Lucy's apartment.

"Hey what's going on here?" Gray asked as a crowd of people looking at something blocked their way.

"Hey, isn't that Team Shadow Gear from Fairy Tail?" one person in the crowd asked. Lucy immediately perked up when she heard the name of her teachers' team.

"What happened?" Another questioned

"Excuse us, we're from their guild," Erza ordered as she marched through the crowd which parted for her, Lucy, Natsu and Gray. "Please let us through."

They were frozen in shock and anger as they stared at the large oak tree before them. Clamped to its trunk with iron was team Shadow Gear, Phantom Lords symbol painted on Levy's bare skin.

"Levy, Jet, Droy!" Gray cried out seeing the three.

Lucy couldn't help walking up to the tree and leaning her forehead onto the girl who was putting in her free time to tutor her in subjects she didn't know. _Whoever did this to you will pay Levy-chan._

"Phantom Lord did this, no way we can't do anything after what they've done." Natsu growled as he began visibly shaking with rage.

"Master…" Erza said quietly as Makarov joined them.

"I could handle wrecking our hall, but I will not let harm come to my children without taking revenge! " Master Makarov growled, " We have no choice but to go to war!"

* * *

Oak Town is in the northeast corner of Fiore and is home to one very large branch of the Phantom Lord guild.

"That's priceless." One wizard laughed.

"I heard Gajeel went and took out three of them himself!" another chuckled.

"Yeah we need to try picking' off a few fairies wings ourselves."

Before the bragging trio could exit their guild, they were thrown back by a flurry of flames which destroyed their guild doors. Standing amid the wreckage was nearly every member of Fairy Tail, all except one who was told to stay back and protect the injured.

"FAIRY TAIL IS HERE!" Master Makarov boomed.

"Alright, who wants to play with fire?!" Natsu shouted, barreling through Phantom Lord members.

"Purple Net!" Macao said, "Now Wakaba!"

"On it," Wakaba said, "Here comes Smoke Crush!"

"Guns Magic!"

Alzack fired rapidly at the many Phantom Lord Wizards knocking them all out cold.

"That one's my spark shot," Alzack said, before returning his gun to its holster.

"Eat thi-"

"Very nice shootin' Bisca." Alzack thanked, looking up to the wizard in question who had sniped a Phantom Lord Wizard about to ambush him.

"Getting rusty there Al?" she teased, before taking aim at more Phantom members.

Master Makarov decided to join in growing to his giant state, crushing many more Phantom members beneath his hand.

"He's a monster!"

"You thought you could hurt my children and get away with it! Human laws cannot protect you from my rage, anymore!"

* * *

"I'll be back Levy-chan, I mean I know you can't hear me, but I'll still be back, I'm just super hungry and it's Virgos' day off, so since she can't bring me food, I have to get it, which is a real drag since I'm kind of tired and don't want to get up, but I'm hungry" Lucy sighed, not realizing she was repeating how hungry she was. "I'd summon Gemini to get me food so then I could kill two people with one spirit and be able to stay here, but knowing them they'd go around and wreak havoc" Lucy murmured, not realizing Mira was on the side trying to hold in her laughter at the blonde talking to the small bluenette, while also finding it adorable.

* * *

In the spirit world

" _That's not the saying at all!"_ Loke screeched.

" _Stupid Demon, teaching her stupid sayings that don't even make sense"_ Aquarius grumbled.

* * *

Ignoring her spirits, Lucy continued speaking her thoughts aloud, forgetting Mira was beside her the entire time. "Oh wells, it won't take long Levy-chan, I'll even grab something for you and your team" Lucy before putting her forehead to the bluenette, missing Levy's lips twitching upwards once she left the room.

* * *

Drip, drip, drop." A fur-clad woman chanted, approaching Lucy slowly who was on her way to get some pastries. "The rain goes wherever Juvia is... drip, drip, drop."

" What?"

"And what of you?" Juvia asked, opening an umbrella over herself.

"Riddles aren't my strong suit" Lucy frowns. "Can I get a hint maybe?"

"Hmm, Juvia enjoyed herself. Farewell." Juvia intoned, passing by the blond girl.

"Bye, Juvia" Lucy smiles.

"Non, non, non." A sinister voice chuckled, causing Juvia to stop. "Non, non, non. Non, non, non, non."

"Bonjour!" A green-haired man with a monocle bursts out of the ground.

Lucy scratched her head. "Uh, Bonjour?" _Man, if I had known so many weirdos were gonna be out today I'd have gone ninja mode, Lucy thought,_ before pulling her cloak around her face concealing her features confusing the two mages in front of her.

"Mademoiselle over there is our precious target." The man observed, causing Juvia to turn to her.

"So, she's the one." Juvia muttered, smiling at the goofy blonde. "Thank you, Monsieur Sol."

"Indeed, I am Monsieur Sol of the Element Four." The man bowed, twisting out of the pavement. "Juvia is also of the Element Four, the Rain Woman."

"Non, non, non-I am Lucy of the Fairy Tail" Lucy said trying to imitate the two element four members, while still wrapped up in her cloak like a ninja.

"You two wouldn't happen to be the ones who attacked Levy, now would you?" Lucy questioned.

"Non, non, non." Sol smoothed his mustache a bit insulted by the blonde mimicking him, although Juvia found it a bit endearing. "The wrecked guild and the attack were done by our guild mate Gajeel."

Lucy nodded her head at the information before getting engulfed in an orb of water.

"Although, it was done with our guild's approval." Sol finished.

"What is this?" Lucy said before closing her mouth quickly.

"Juvia's Water Lock. It cannot be broken so do not even try to." The blue-haired girl smiled.

"CELESTIAL… I'm too hungry to even try" Lucy thought. "Besides I need to find out why these guys are after me" Lucy thought before passing out in the water bubble.

"Tres Bien!" Sol exclaimed. "We have captured her!"

"Do not worry." Juvia told the still form. "Juvia will not kill you. For it is Juvia's duty to bring you back... Lucy Heartfilia."

* * *

"Did Lucy seriously let herself get captured" Loke deadpanned.

"I'm sorry, but yes" Aries said.

"For fucks sake, we really need to teach this girl a better battle strategy than constantly letting herself get captured and attacking the enemy from the inside" Aquarius said.

"Say what you want, but it is affective. We are!" Scorpio yelled.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Phantom Lord guild the war between Phantom and Fairy Tail was raging on.

Before attacking she used Requip and changed into her Flame Empress Armor. Then grabbed the closest mages for answers. "Tell me! Where can I find Gajeel and the Element Four?" Erza asked angrily. The Phantom mages frightened by the physical prowess Titania was showing off.

On the otherside of the guild was Natsu having the time of his life battling it out with weak mages.

"How do you like this?" one yelled as they threw a fire spell at him.

Natsu smirked at the weak excuse of an attack and inhaled all the flames shot his way.

"Oh yeah, now I've got a fire in my belly!"

"What the…"

"He just ate fire!"

"I'm gonna blow you away, Fire Dragon Roar!"

"Erza! I leave the rest to you." Master Makarov as he headed up the stairs.

"Yes Sir!"

"Jose must be lurking on the top floor, when I find him, there will be hell to pay."

"Please, be careful," Erza whispered as she watched Makarov smash through a wall and go deeper in.

"Now that their little boss man's outta the way it's time I threw myself into the mix." Gajeel stated jumping down from the rafters to join the fight. The entire guild hall shook as Gajeel landed on the balcony, cracking the Phantom Lord sign as he did.

"Who's that?"

"It's the Iron Dragon Slayer," Erza growled, "Black Steel Gajeel."

"Heh, heh, show me what you got, unless you idiots are too scared to face the great Iron Dragon Slayer."

"I'll be more than happy to take up that challenge" Natsu yelled before he sent Gajeel flying backwards into their bar with a kick to the face, making everyone gasp.

"Whoa, that kid sent him flying!" Most if not all Phantom Lord was in awe of what the pink haired teen had done to their supposed strongest mage.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Natsu, Fairy Tails Dragon Slayer".

"Iron Dragon Claw!" Natsu held on tightly to Gajeel's iron arm as he slid backwards eventually coming to a halt as he dug his feet in to the ground.

"Natsu!" Erza shouted in worry.

"You destroyed our guild hall and then attacked Levy and her team. For that I'll make you pay" he growled, his flames heating up to an unbearable temperature burning the iron dragon slayer and tossing him across the guild hall.

Gajeel flipped over in the air and leapt off a beam and back at Natsu. When he neared Natsu he threw his fist towards the fire mages face only for it to be blocked and getting sent flying again, with ease.

"Woah, the kids fired up now." Wakaba smirked.

"He's quite a wizard," Erza smiled.

"Nice try, but I'm still standing'," Gajeel said as he rose from the rubble.

"True, but you won't be for much longer though," taunted Natsu.

"Oh yeah?" Gajeel asked, before sending an iron pillar into Natsu tossing the boy across the guildhall like a ragdoll.

"Aww, what happened to I won't be standing much longer? You all talk after all?"

Flames encompassed Natsu as he jumped to his feet, grinning. Natsu deciding to finally get fired up and get serious. _Don't worry Lucy, I'll pay this Gajeel dude back for all the hurt he put on Levy and her team for you._

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to keep me down."

"You seriously think you can beat me, hot head?"

"I don't think. I know I can."

"We'll see about that!"

Natsu block Gajeel's Iron rod like arm with a single hand.

"Your steel beams can't even touch me, you better start stepping' up your game!" Natsu growled, still covered in flames.

"Guess those rumors aren't without merit, you're way more powerful then you look. That actually burned," Gajeel taunted, his arm returning to normal,

"That's nothing. I'm just getting' warmed up!" They stared one another down before lunging forward, creating craters in the floor from the force of their attacks. They began exchanging blows, however even as Gajeel was able to block Natsu's attacks one got through forcing him to dodge. Refusing to relent on his attacks Natsu was able to break though his defense and punch Gajeel in the head sending him smashing through several more rafters before he was able to correct himself and hang upside down from a beam.

"How was that, metal head?"

"Don't get cocky, it won't happen again," Gajeel replied, still feeling confident.

Again, Gajeel looked Natsu up and down just before the entire guild began to shake.

"I don't like the sound of that," Gray added.

"This is what happens when Gramps gets angry, it's called giants wrath" Cana chuckled.

"Prepare to fight," Erza ordered, brandishing her sword, "We cannot lose if long as Master Makarov's still with us!"

* * *

In a room high up in the Phantom Lord Guild hall a wall completely disintegrated before Makarov's immense magical power.

"Jose!"

"Look what the cat dragged in…" Jose commented sitting in a throne.

"Why are you attacking Fairy Tail? Tell me!"

The glass in the windows shattered as Master Makarov began exerting his magic power even more. The power was so strong the ground itself began to crack beneath him as he approached Jose.

"I haven't seen you in quite a while Makarov, six years ago at a Guild Masters Conference. I remember that day, I was a complete mess.

"I didn't come here for small talk, I want answers Jose!" Master Makarov yelled as he slammed his gigantic fist into Jose only for him to realize Jose was nowhere in sight.

"A projection? You coward, I should've known you'd flee with your tail between your legs." Makarov commented as he saw that Jose was simply projecting himself.

"It's not cowardice, I'm simply trying to avoid a fight between two of the Wizard Saints. In avoidance of that mess, I prefer a victory without all the commotion," Jose replied calmly.

"Why are you hiding? Come out and face me like a man!"

Master Jose chuckled darkly, his gaze lowering to the floor before himself. Slowly a second projection appeared, one of a young unconscious blonde female.

"L-Lucy? But how? She was supposed to be watching over Levy out of sight."

"Quite simple really. When you have mages such as mine subdue a weak celestial wizard like her than it's quite easy". Jose explained.

"What, Are you insane? Lucy isn't just a celestial Wizard, she's a demon slayer too. And a mighty strong one at that" Makarov yelled, "And you still haven't said why you've taken Lucy!"?

Jose froze for a moment from Makarovs outburst before brushing it off as a scare tactic. "Are you saying you don't know who Lucy Heartfilia is? And after she joined your own guild" Jose gasped theatrically. "Well, it won't matter after today."

"What, Lucy...is a Heartfilia? I honestly would've never guessed with the way that girl acts Makarov chuckled, not at all paying attention to Jose infuriating him.

Jose was angered at the old man ignoring him so to put a bit of fear in the man's heart he summoned a bit of his magic and aimed it at the girl for show. Makarov charged forward in fear of another child getting hurt, "No don't!" distracted by the ruse, Makarov was unable to notice the form suddenly appear behind him sobbing.

"What in the, I didn't even notice him!" Makarov exclaimed, unable to do anything as a yellow light engulfed him.

Jose released his power and laughed. " Now I just wait for Juvia and Sol to come to me with the girl" he thought.

"How sad!" exclaimed the weeping man who was lurking behind Master Makarov. " Why do I feel so sorrowful?"

There was a flash of magical power and Makarov fell, crashing to the ground floor amongst the members of Fairy Tail still fighting on the ground floor.

"It must be because the world has just lost a great wizard."

' _What happened, why do I feel so weak,_ ' Makarov wondered in his thoughts, a feeling of powerlessness covering his whole body. ' _My magic, it's gone!_ '

"Something fell from the rafters!" someone yelled.

"It's Gramps!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Is he okay?!" Gray asked.

"Master!" Erza shouted.

"Makarov is powerless now thanks to Aria of the Heavens, a member of my Element Four." Jose explained with a grin. "He has the ability to make other wizards' power just disappear into thin air."

Everyone watched as Master Jose came down the steps into the guild hall. A hologram of Lucy laying unconscious below his feet in front of him.

"I think it's safe to say we've won this round, Fairy Tail."

* * *

"M-my power is go- …" With no strength left in him to speak, Makarov was unable to tell the others of what happened to him.

"Master." Erza called to Makarov

"This isn't good guys, I don't sense any magic energy coming' from gramps at all," Gray answered.

Natsu looked at master panic etched on his face, "Come on Gramps, you gotta pull through, I know you can do it!"

"I don't understand, Gramps is so powerful, how'd they beat him?" Gray wondered.

'This is bad,' thought Erza.

"NOW'S OUR CHANCE! LET'S GET 'EM!"

"Don't you start getting cocky!" Natsu shouted, punching away the charging Phantom wizards with a flaming fist. Seeing Gramps so weak set a fire in his stomach which only strengthened his resolve to kick these phantom lords guys asses.

"Ah crap, what now," Gray growled. Seeing his guild mates begin to get overpowered by these assholes was angering him, but he knew they were outnumbered, and morale had lowered now that gramps was taken out. Aside from Natsu it looked like they were outnumbered.

Erza looked around at her comrades as they slowly began to lose their edge, falling one by one. If only we had brought Lucy, she thought, we might have had a chance and Master wouldn't have been injured so severely. Deciding there was only one thing they could do she sucked up her pride looking to the remaining guild members still fighting.

"We must retreat! Everyone back to the guild at once!"

"What? No way!" Gray argued.

"Real men don't retreat!" Elfman agreed.

"I still got some fight in me," Macao growled with determination.

"Me too!" Cana added.

"We can't stay; we don't stand a chance against Jose. Now retreat, that's an order!" Erza yelled.

"There they go, I knew it wouldn't be long before those gutless cowards gave up and started running for their lives," Gajeel sighed with disappointment.

"They're retreating with sorrow in their hearts."

"You're really creepy you know that, right Aria? Gajeel greeted to the member of the Element Four, "Although, I guess I gotta give it to you for taking down a Wizard Saint."

"I just followed Master Jose's orders, but thank you!" Aria said, bursting into tears again.

"Why're you always crying? Jeez, cut it out," Gajeel said, his eyes on Natsu, "So what happened with that Lucy girl?"

As soon as he heard his partner's name mentioned he looked up to see Aria and Gajeel speaking, deciding to listen in on their conversation and find out what they wanted with Lucy.

"Juvia and Sol should be taking care of her." Aria replied stopping his weeping. "Against those two she stands no chance of escaping them."

"Rain Woman and Sol" Gajeel hummed "From what I heard the chicks just a celestial mage, sending those two are just overkill. Eh, who the hell cares."

"Damn it." Natsu growled upon hearing this.

"Is something wrong?" Happy asked.

"GAJEEL!"

"What are you still doing here? Go run back to your Fairy palace and we'll finish this another time Salamander. I got other things to do."

Before he knew it Gajeel and Aria had disappeared and were gone.

"Those assholes… they're trying to get Lucy!"

"Everybody out, let's go!" Erza ordered as the Fairy Tail members began retreating the Phantom wizards giving chase.

"Erza, they're after Lucy!" Natsu yelled at the armored mage.

"What, why Lucy!" Erza yelled. "We have to get to her before they do" Erza stated "Who knows what she'll do to them if we don't catch her in time" Erza grimaced.

"Grrrr…I'll kick your ass next time Gajeel!" Natsu yelled before reluctantly retreating with the rest of the Guild.


	15. The end of Phantom Lord

When Lucy woke up her stomach was growling, and she had no idea where she was. Pushing herself up, she realized her hands and feet were cuffed up, but quickly fixed that by pulling them apart. Once freed she decided to see where she was heading to the opening in her cell, only to see she was in some sort of high tower.

"Well Plue, looks like we gotta wait for the person who thought it was smart to kidnap me" Lucy sighed.

"Pun, Puuun" the little spirit said shakily.

"Of course, I'm still hungry, what kind of question is that even" running her hands through her hair and reevaluating her situation, "But I highly doubt they feed hostages. Maybe Virgo can bring me some celestial food?" Lucy muttered to her little spirit who had popped up.

"Puuun, Puuun" the spirit nodded, shakily. "She's still busy punishing herself, huh" Lucy sighed, "Alright then, I'll just take a quick nap. Keep watch Plue".

"Pun, Puuun!" the little spirit said with a small salute as the spirit watched their master lay down on the ground to nap.

Lucy was close to a deep slumber when she was awoken by the slamming of her cell door. Opening her eyes to see who would even dare disturb her sleep, Lucy did her best to hold back her laughter at the weird appearance of the man who entered. "Seriously who wears that lipstick with baggy pants and a witch hat" Lucy snorted.

Feeling his eye twitch at the girls' words he held back a scathing remark at the supposed heiress.

He smirked, "Good evening, I am Jose Porla. Guild Master of Phantom Lord" He bowed.

"So, you're the one who damaged my guild, and hurt Team Shadow Gear" Lucy growled, heating up the room to an unbearable temperature.

"Uh"

"Gotta say, I'm pretty pissed now. Originally, I let myself get kidnapped to find out why you wanted me, but now finding out it was also you who sent that Gajeel dude to destroy my guild and attack my tutor just pisses me off even more."

"Now hold on, what do you mean you let yourself get kidnapped" Jose sneers.

"Tsk, you think those two weaklings could really capture someone of my caliber, I heard that non-non-guy say I was the target so naturally I let them take me so I could find out why the hell you were in my territory" Lucy said, cracking her knuckles.

"The first rule of war is to never underestimate the enemy or target I guess" Lucy grinned, sending a shiver down Jose's spine. "I know I haven't been a part of Fairy Tail for long, but I've grown attached to them which means your actions are not going to go unpunished" she growled.

Jose looked around nervously, surprised from the turn of events, "Well, I guess I should have expected such wits from someone of the Heartfilia family."

Lucy stared blankly at him, anger bubbling up from her inside.

"And just what do you know of the Heartfilia family". Lucy asked deadly calm.

"Well, for one you are Lucy Heartfilia, are you not?" he asked smirked, thinking he had gained the upper hand.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "And how exactly do you know that? I haven't gone by that name in years".

Jose kept that annoying smirk on his face; "Your father Jude Heartfilia-

"He's not my father, Lucifer is" Lucy butted in.

"Uh yes, well anyways, he offered me a great sum of money if I handed you over to him. This task actually worked quite well in my favor, since I was able to take down Makarov and Fairy Tail in the process." He laughed.

Lucy surrounded herself in golden flames, pushing Jose into the cells wall and making him cease in his laughter.

When he looked at the blonde, he noticed half of her body was covered in red markings, and she had her eyes shut. _What the- I've never heard of any Celestial mage containing this power_.

"So, my father paid you to bring me home and you used it as an excuse to attack Fairy Tail and my master."

He felt himself sweat at her appearance, already hard pressed in the rooms wall.

"Uh, yes?" He answered quietly.

Lucy grinned, her magic power beginning to rise suffocating Jose, her flames rising to the point his clothes were slowly melting away. "Well, thanks for the heads up, guess I should tell you I'll be destroying you, your guild and everyone in it as retaliation" Lucy chuckled.

"How do you have so much magic! Jude said you were just a celestial wizard?" he yelled, trying to send a pulse of his magic power at her to stop her from burning him alive, only for her to swipe it away with ease, retaliating with a fire punch in his direction knocking him on his side.

"Jude hasn't seen me in ten years so of course he wouldn't know that the Lucy Heartfilia he once knew is different. Now I am the fifth wizard saint of Ishgar, a Celestial Fire Demon Slayer, as well as a Celestial Mage".

He gasped in realization of just who his guild was up against. "There's no way", he said, "You're lying!"

" I never lie" Lucy said before sending a flaming punch directly into Jose knocking the guild master out. "Lucifer said lying is bad".

* * *

Lucy sighed. "What a drag, I was hoping they just wanted me because of revenge, not because of my stupid dad. I guess I better get back to the guild if I want to tell everyone what happened" she said aloud before walking off the ledge forgetting she was about 100 stories off the ground. "Oh crap, help Plue!" Lucy yelled, her entire body falling wildly in the air.

"Pun, Puuun!" the little spirit screamed disappearing back to the spirit world.

* * *

"Did Miss Lucy really do what I think she just did…again?" Capricorn asked.

"Casually walk off the ledge of this building causing her to tumble headfirst towards the ground. Yes, yes, the brat did. She never learns" Aquarius sighed,

"Gemini, you know what to do".

"Got it Piri, Piri".

* * *

"Oh man, oh man the ground is really close!" Lucy screamed.

"Don't worry miss Lucy we got you", Gemi-Happy said as he captured Lucy by her cloak gently dropping her on the ground.

"Oomph…Thanks guys I thought I was about to be a pancake back there!" Lucy thanked them, before they disappeared back to the spirit world after making sure she was okay.

A few seconds later she was tackled by her fellow slayer and the real Happy.

"LUCY!"

"Natsu? Happy?" she said.

He looked her in the eyes, "Oh man you're okay, we saw you falling and got worried we weren't gonna make it in time".

"No worries, that's not the first time it happened" Lucy said smiling, "Luckily Gemini caught me just in time again".

"Yeah, we saw, but still! We were worried because Mira said you didn't come back from getting food for yourself and Levy, so everyone had assumed that those Element four guys caught ya. Not to mention gramps got hit with something that drained his magic so now everyone's-" Lucy cut him off by bumping her forehead with his.

"I'm alright, no one did anything to me," she pulled away and smirked, "In fact, I knocked the guild master of Phantom Lord out with one of my punches."

"Seriously?! Way to go Lucy!" he grinned.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

Lucy's smirk disappeared instantly turning into a frown, making Natsu and Happy worry.

"What's wrong Lucy?" Happy asked.

Her bangs were covering her eyes as she continued to look sad, "I'm...really sorry."

The two friends looked at her with worry. Natsu especially, having never seen his best friend like this he was worried something was wrong with her that maybe he couldn't fix. Seeing his friend sad was something he never wanted to see again.

"Why are you apologizing?" Natsu asked as he put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

She lifted her head slowly and looked at him, "Hey Natsu...Do I belong in Fairy Tail with all of you? I mean I know sometimes I can act a bit dumb and annoy Erza and break stu-oww what the hell Natsu?" Lucy yelled as she rubbed her cheek where the salmon haired boy had just punched her.

"You're an idiot if you really think you don't belong in Fairy Tail." Natsu grounded out. "So, what if you break stuff, so do I and no one cares. And despite how she acts you don't annoy Erza, you make her smile" Natsu smirked. "Lucy, you belong in Fairy Tail...don't ever doubt that" Natsu said with a toothy grin.

Lucy was slightly startled by Natsu's declaration, aside from her spirits and Luce, no one had ever spoken to her like that. However, after hearing his words she knew she wouldn't want to be anywhere else but Fairy Tail.

"Thanks, Natsu" Lucy said softly, going towards her best friend Natsu opened his arms wide believing she was going to hug him. Instead he received a punch to the gut.

"Lucifer Punch!" Lucy yelled, chuckling when she saw Natsu bent over. "The only one allowed to punch me and get away with it is Erza, got it Natsu". After he got up from the ground she went in for a hug, " But you're right, Natsu. I am a member of Fairy Tail. And you're my family! And no one can take that away from me" She yelled, Natsu grinning at his friends' weirdness.

Laughing Happy and Natsu followed Lucy's example happy to have their friend smiling again. "Come on Lucy, let's get back to the guild. Everyone's worried about you" Natsu said with a smile. The two of them ran away laughing from Phantom Lords headquarters with Happy perched on top of Lucy's head, ignoring the knocked-out Wizard Saint up in the tower behind them.

* * *

Meanwhile at the guild the Fairy Tail mages were tending to those who were wounded during their fight against Phantom Lord. The entire guild was feeling the effects of Master getting harmed and Lucy getting Kidnapped. To say they were worried would be an understatement.

"Man, what are we gonna do?" Gray said, "Gramps magic is drained, Lucy has been taken by Jose, and our guild is still destroyed".

"Worry not Gray, if I know Natsu then he's already on his way back with Lucy, all we need to do is ready ourselves so we can get revenge for Master" Erza said with a smile. Deep down though, she was worried for her friend. Knowing that Phantom was able to take Lucy caused her to feel a sense of uneasiness in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

"And that's story of the time Loke, Scorpio and I stormed a Dark guild blind" Lucy laughed, Natsu and Happy laughing alongside her as they busted into the basement of the guild where everyone was currently occupied. "Don't worry I got my sight back eventually" she laughed.

"Man, I wish I was there, that fight sounds fun!" Natsu yelled with his fist in the air.

"Wow Lucy, you did some pretty stupid stuff but Natsu's right that does sound fun!" Happy yelled.

The trio oblivious to the stares they were getting from the entire guild as well as one blonde receiving a death stare from an armored mage.

* * *

"Is..that Lucy and Natsu?" Gray deadpanned as he watched the two walks in laughing and exchanging stories of their younger years.

"Yes" Erza said, regretting ever worrying about the dense blonde.

"LUCY!" the guild yelled happy to see their demon slayer wasn't harmed.

"Guildmates!" Lucy yelled back.

"Where'd you go Lucy, one second you were talking to Levy about getting food the next you disappeared?' Mira said wiping away tears.

Rubbing her head Lucy quickly apologized for her abrupt departure and explains how she encountered two weirdos who said they were part of the elemental floors "whatever that means" Lucy chuckled.

"They're called the Element Four, Lucy" Mira giggled, watching Lucy shrug.

"Anyways, I decided to let them capture me so I could find out what was going on and that's when I met their guild master who wears lipstick" Lucy explained, shrinking back when she sees Erza standing before her with a darkened aura.

"So, you intentionally let yourself get kidnapped making us worry" Erza glared.

"Uh...yes?" Lucy said, before getting whacked upside the head by Erza. "Do something like that again and I'll make your punishment worse, understand" she threatens.

"Yeah, okay" Lucy mutters, frowning at the lump on her head. Still hungry Lucy sits down requesting food from Mira who went and hurriedly made some fire meat so the rest of the guild could hear Lucy's story. Once she had received her food Lucy quickly ate, sighing in contentment "Yeah, so I talked to the guild master Jose and I found out by the weirdo that I was the target this entire time".

"But why" Mira asked confused.

"My father wants me back" Lucy said, grimacing.

"LUCIFER IS THE ONE CAUSING THIS!" Natsu yelled.

"I wish, but no. My real dad is the one behind this. I never told you guys because I kind of forgot, but my full name is Lucy Heartfilia" Lucy says sheepishly, earning shocked faces from the entire guild at her name reveal.

"For a Heartfilia, you sure don't act like an heiress" Gray joked, earning a face from Lucy.

"Why'd ya hide this from us Lucy?" Happy asked with wide eyes.

"To be fair, I never exactly hid it, I just never associated myself with my full name when I traveled" she said. "I ran away from home ten years ago after some things between my dad and I happened" rubbing her face Lucy continues, "Once Lucifer took me in, I learned to just go by Lucy or Ishgar demon while traveling".

She got a dark look in her eyes, "I just can't believe he had Phantom attack the guild and hurt my friends just to get to me" Lucy said looking ashamed.

Sighing Lucy looked all her guildmates in the eye before bowing before them, "Lucifer always said that when you're the cause of trouble always own up to it... So, I'm super sorry about all this. I didn't mean to cause you all so much trouble."

The guild stared in awe at the powerful mage bowing in front of them, unsure of what to say.

Elfman was the first to react by quickly waving his hands and requesting she stop, "Hey now this isn't your fault it's your dads'!"

"Idiot!" Gray hissed.

"Uh! I mean its Phantom's fault!" Elfman he said trying to cover up his mistake.

Lucy's stood upright, "No, Elfman's right, it's my dad's fault. A little of mine for not fully dealing with him before I left, but then again what can you do. Maybe I should go home and oomph- "falling to the floor Lucy looked up to see the only person she would ever allow to punch her and not face repercussions standing above her.

"Stop that nonsense right now" Erza said with a sword at the girls' face, "You're dumber than I thought if you think I'd ever let you go back to that devil of a man!"

"Did Erza really have to punch Lucy like that?" Elfman whispered.

"No, but Erza wouldn't be Erza if she didn't" Cana laughed.

"You are the Ishgar Demon, 5th Wizard Saint, and a member of Team Natsu. I can't imagine you sitting in some mansion like a princess" smiling at the girl still on the floor holding her stomach, "Laughing in this filthy guild hall, having fun and being very reckless as you go on adventures that aren't nearly as dangerous as the ones you used to go on, is who you are" Erza finished as she put out her hand to lift up Lucy.

Lucy couldn't help the grin she was giving towards her mate as she talked.

"You're Lucy, the Ishgar Demon of Fairy Tail," she smiled, "No more running because you belong here with us, where you'll continue to not listen about my personal space and break more guild rules in a day, than Natsu has in a year!" she finished blushing while the entire guild failed to hold back their laughter at the S-class mages heartfelt speech to the demon slayer.

Lucy looked at Erza and for the first time since Lucifer had left her, felt a tear fall from her eye. She might not have found Lucifer after all these years of traveling to find him, but at least she found a place she could call home, for now.

"You liiiike me" Lucy sang at Erza who replied with a punch in the stomach.

"That's not a no" Lucy groaned.

* * *

Meanwhile on the other side of the guild Cana was trying and failing to get in touch with Mystogan. No matter how many times she flipped her cards Mystogan failed to show up. "Come on! I'm not getting any kind of read on where Mystogan is!"

Mira looked at her sadly, "It's alright, you did your best."

Cana sighed feeling useless, "If Lucy's their real target their bound to attack soon especially with how many of us are wounded." Turning to look at who was able to move and who was too injured to even fight, "Even with Lucy and Erza, we'd be at a big disadvantage".

Mira nodded agreeing, then went back to her own task, "Master is seriously injured, and we can't seem to locate Mystogan. You're the only one left that we can turn to, help us Laxus." She pleaded.

He scoffed with disgust at her pleading face.

"We could really use you about now. Fairy Tail is in terrible danger." She said.

He started laughing, "Man Gramps is freaking pathetic! I don't see how this is remotely my problem. You're all big girls so deal with it yourselves!"

"You're really not gonna help us?!" Cana questioned angrily.

"Of course not, why would I? That drunken old man started this. Why do I have to be the one to clean it up?"

Mira was getting frustrated and sighed to keep herself in check, "Please Laxus. Phantom's trying to kidnap Lucy."

"Heh, so they want blondie huh? Then give her to them and the problem will be solved, how simple was that" he laughed into the lacrima. "Hey, I'll tell ya what, if you talk blondie into being my woman, I'll do anything she wants." He grinned.

Cana looked at him with disgust, "You are such a pig!"

He sneered at her, "Are you sure you wanna talk that way to a guy your begging to help ya? Do me a favor-

"Listen to me lightning bolt, the only person I'd ever mate with is this woman here", pulling a shocked Erza into view then pushing her out, "second if you're too cowardly to help than don't ever think for a second you'll be considered Fairy Tail's strongest wizard".

That stopped his laughter completely, "What did you just say to me?" he asked slowly.

Pulling the lacrima close enough so only the two could hear she spoke again, "There's no doubt you didn't hear me with your…dragon slayer powers, so I won't be repeating myself" surprising the s-class mage that she knew "we don't need weaklings like you to help us win this fight so stay where you are and we'll call you when it's safe to come home. Wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we" shocking those around her with her bold words towards the grandson of the guild, then tossing the lacrima back to Mira.

"Erza, let's mate before we fight Phantom" Lucy yelled happily, before getting knocked out by Erza.

"Damn demon" Erza muttered walking away from the unconscious body.

Mira and Cana had watched the blonde leave with surprised expressions on their faces. Although that was not the first time, they saw her that way, Master being the first one to make Lucy angry enough to react in a similar manner, it still surprised them that such an upbeat person could speak in such a way.

The barmaid's hands were shaking, "I don't understand. How can someone in Fairy Tail be so heartless and cruel?" she then had a look of determination on her face, "I can't just sit here and watch! I have to join the others and fight!"

"Wait, don't be ridiculous!" Cana said stopping her in her tracks.

"I feel totally useless being stuck here in the guildhall! I wanna help!" Mira protested.

Cana placed a hand on her shoulder, "I understand, but you'll only get in the way as you are now. Even if you were once an S-Class wizard." She said bluntly.

Mira didn't have time to comment as she felt the guild shake out of nowhere.

"Hey, what's going on?" Gray asked.

"OUTSIDE!" Alzack yelled as he rushed through the doors with a panicked look on his face.

* * *

The uninjured Fairy Tail wizards rushed outside and froze in fear at what they saw. Walking through Lake Sciliora which bordered Magnolia, was the Phantom Lord Headquarters standing on eight giant bronze legs. The earth shook with each step that the giant building on legs took as it approached the shoreline in front of Fairy Tail's Guild Hall.

"What is that thing?!" Natsu exclaimed fearfully.

"It's a Guild Hall with ginormous legs!" Happy cried.

"Whoa, never seen a walking building. Wait yes I have, never mind I take it back" Lucy said tiredly having just gotten up from her knocked out state, causing some to sweat drop.

As the walking building neared, fear struck those watching causing them to freeze in place at the sight in front of them.

"I did not anticipate this. To go to such extreme lengths to attack us!" Erza said.

Phantom Headquarters took one more giant step before it came to a halt. The building remained motionless for a short moment before a hatchway at the front lowered, allowing a long metal barrel to extend out.

Suddenly, dark blue energy began to swirl and turn into a sphere at the end of the cannon's barrel, growing larger and larger by the second.

"RUN! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Erza yelled running, towards the edge of the cliff and requipping. Lucy watched as her mate ran towards the large energy sphere that was growing larger by the second, frowning when she realized what she was about to do. "Well that just won't do, now will it Plue" she asked aloud to her little dog spirit.

"Puuun, pun" Plue said in agreement.

"Erza!" Mirajane shouted.

"Don't be stupid!" Macao called after her.

"She requipped" Cana exclaimed.

"What're you doing?"

"Protecting the guild hall!" Erza replied as an armor materialized on her, with a large shield which gave the armor most of its defensive power.

"That's her Adamantine Armor," Happy said.

"Is she gonna try to block the cannons shot?" Bisca asked.

"But there's no way her armor's gonna hold out against a blast that strong!" Alzack said.

"Tsk, and she calls me stupid" Lucy muttered walking towards Erza, after she gave Plue instructions to watch over everyone.

"Stay back everyone, I will protect the gui-ack" unable to finish her sentence because of an angry demon slayer pulling her away from the cliff and pushing her back.

"You stay right there and when I'm done with this, we're gonna have a talk" Lucy said firmly, melting her shield down so she wouldn't get any ideas.

"ER-ZA?" Natsu shouted confused when he saw his childhood friend and best friend at the edge of the cliff.

"What the heck is Lucy doing up there?" Gray said, holding Natsu back to avoid him running off to Erza.

"I honestly don't know" Natsu said.

* * *

Black lightning rippled across the energy ball collecting at the end of the barrel. Eventually it finished and with an earth-shaking boom, a large beam fired out from the cannon.

Erza stared frozen at the oncoming energy beam heading towards Fairy Tail unable to protect them since Lucy melted her shield down. "LUCY!"

"CELESTIAL GUARDIAN SHIELD!"

* * *

"Hey what is that?" Cana asked looking at a golden shimmering shield which suddenly appeared in front of the guildhall.

"I don't know but it's blocking the Jupiter cannon completely." Elfman stated.

Erza's jaw dropped at the sight before her, arms afront in a protective stance was Lucy who continued to hold the golden shield against the high-powered energy beam.

"Lucy?" Erza spoke in awe as she watched the demon slayer/ Celestial mage maintain the shield, a slight sheen of sweat begin to show on her face.

"You're lucky Lucifer said to never yell at your mate" Lucy growled, a fire burning in her eyes that scared Erza.

"Lucy! Gray yelled with relief.

"Go Luce!" Natsu cried, happy to see both of his friends okay.

"How are you doing that?"" Erza whispered, surprised by the girl in front of her powers.

"Like I told Natsu... this is an ancient celestial spell that I try not to use unless of dire circumstances. My mate trying to be an idiot and get themselves hit by a big cannon constituted as that" Lucy answered releasing the spell, letting her turn around fully to face Erza.

"I'm the idiot" Erza said incredulous, "I had it under control" she said as she saw the sweat rolling down her teammates face.

"No, you didn't. That cannon's magic would've destroyed your armor in seconds and hurt you. As your mate it's my duty to protect you from any harm, even if that means taking the brunt of it" Lucy huffed, pulling Erza into her arms and connecting her forehead to Erza's.

"I don't care if you're an S-class mage, I'll always protect you Erza Scarlet" Lucy said pulling back to giving Erza that dopey grin that made her heart skip a beat. Then feeling her stomach grumble she pulled out a piece of celestial food from her pouch to bring her energy back, ruining her moment with Erza.

"Romantic one moment then a slob the next, amazing truly" Erza said facepalming, when Lucy released her.

 _This is who is trying to claim me,_ she thought, looking back up to see Natsu and Lucy fighting over a piece of fish Happy had.

"You may have been able to block the Jupiter Cannon's first shot, but in fifteen minutes we'll see if you can do it again" Jose yelled.

"I mean I could, but I think it'd be much more exciting if we just went inside the robot building and took down Jose and the elemental four wizards" she offered.

"Now that sounds like a plan" Natsu yelled fired up, others from the guild cheering. With those agreed to go Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lucy and Elfman began their descent up the Phantom Lord guild.

* * *

"Alright we're finally here." Natsu yelled the others joining him.

"Yes, but I'm afraid I cannot allow you to go any further" a voice drawled. When the others looked to who spoke they saw a man with two toned hair and a red outfit blocking their way.

"And just who the hell are you?" Natsu demanded igniting his fist only for it to suddenly punch him in the face.

"I am Totomaru of the element four and-"

"Lucifer Kick!"

The fire user was suddenly cut off as Lucy's foot was practically implanted in his stomach sending him through a wall and knocking him unconscious.

"We gotta go" Lucy said, turning around to her teammates.

"Here's the plan, Natsu you go find that iron dragon guy, and the rest scour this place for the other element people" Lucy ordered, "This is just a guess, but I think this robot building is running on the element four people, so we beat them then the building stops" she finishes surprising the others at her plan.

"Uh, what will you be doing Lucy?" Gray asked.

"What do you think Fullbuster?" Lucy grinned, "Taking on Jose, of course" running off before anyone could say anything else.

"Well? You guys heard Luce, let's go find those elemental guys and kick some butt!" Natsu yelled following his best friends' steps before breaking off on a separate path.

"For mavis sakes, Lucy is becoming a bad influence on Natsu, which is saying something" Era said running after the two.

"Well can't let the flame brain duo show me up" Gray grumbled, running off with Elfman running along.

"Hey, don't forget about me I gotta show them what a man is!" he shouted.

* * *

As Erza ran down the halls she could hear the guild battling outside, and the ground shaking beneath her. No doubt in her mind the cause was of Natsu and the others having started their own fights.

Turning the corner Erza found herself in front of entrance hall with a large staircase that lead further into the Phantom Lord HQ.

"To think I would be honored with Titania's presence. To be honest I would've preferred Heartfilia since I owe her for knocking me out but taking you down will be just as satisfying" Jose sneered.

"You have no idea who you're messing with Jose" Erza yelled, "We of Fairy Tail are stronger than we look".

"Oh no doubt" Jose smiled, "which is why I have him for support" Jose pointed.

Erza was barely able to turn around before a bright light started to shine on her, _No! This magic pressure, this feels like the magic which was used on Master._

"SCARLET WRATH!" jumping from nowhere was Lucy who let out a torrent of flames from her mouth, sending back the surprised elemental four mage.

"LUCY!" Erza yelled, glad to see the blonde. _Hold on...did she name another move after me?_

"Wh-where the hell did you come from?" Jose yelled.

"From my mother, Layla Heartfilia" Lucy answered with a glare.

"What, no I mean where... you know what no matter Aria take care of her." Jose ordered.

"Yes master. It brings me sorrow that a powerful mage like yourself with be taken out but what's done is done" Airspace mage said.

"Hmm, he can use his Airspace magic to conceal his presence." Lucy noted "That must be how he took down the old man."

"So, you're the one who hurt our master," Erza stated as Aria stepped forward.

"And you're the great Erza Scarlet," Aria stated. "How unfortunate for you. Seems the brilliant Titania will be defeated alongside the great Ishgar Demon".

"Touch my mate and you'll die a painful death" Lucy said a swirl of flames reacting to her emotions, surprisingly scaring the air space mage.

"Wait Lucy, master suffered greatly by his hands. Therefore, I will avenge him," Erza growled.

Lucy turned to Erza incredulous, "I'm sorry but uh, did you not see where you were almost taken down by this fat dude?"

"Yes Lucy, but I am fine now, now let me fight him or I will no longer let you pursue me" Erza threatened.

"Go Erza, Go! Go Erza, Go!" Lucy chanted with a #1 Erza fan hat and foam finger that Virgo had quickly delivered.

Taking a deep breath Erza turned to her opponent.

"Now that I'm facing a strong opponent, maybe it's time I start taking this seriously." Aria reached up and removed the bandages around his eyes with a single motion. They snapped open to reveal magenta irises with an X through them.

"Now Titania," Aria said walking towards Erza. "Step into Zero, the Air Space of Death! It consumes the lives of all who dare to enter!" A large windstorm suddenly whipped up as Aria's magic began to flow.

"A spell that consumes life?" Erza stated, summoning a sword. "Tell me, how can you do this? How can you take lives so easily? You scoundrel!"

"It'd be more fun to show you!" Aria replied, his eyes glowing a deep purple.

Lucy moved to help Erza but remembered her words, decided it was best to trust in her abilities to beat Aria.

* * *

"Well, guess that means it's just you and me" Lucy said looking to the guild master of Phantom Lord.

"Indeed".

"Alright then, open gate of the lion Leo!" a bright light appeared and out of it came an orange haired man with a black suit.

"Sup Lucy haven't called me out in a while for a fight" Loke said nonchalantly.

Rubbing her head Lucy apologized promising to more often. "Well help me beat this dude and I'll let you stay out for the rest of the day alright?"

"Deal princess".

"Tsk, and here I thought the Ishgar demon dealt with fire not with weak little spirits" Jose said.

"Ha, ya hear that Loke he thinks you're weak!" Lucy said bending over laughing.

"Oh, that's quite laughable Porla" Loke said with a glint in his eye.

"Maybe for the untrained celestial mage but for someone of my caliber Loke's potential is unmatched for any mere mortal" she laughed, "I don't even need to use other magic to defeat you"

"What, I highly doubt that! I am a wizard saint! And nothing will stop me from taking you to your father!" Jose stated charging a spell at his hands and sending two dark ghostly figures at them.

"Regulus impact" The lion spirit nimble dodged and punched the shadow spirits easily destroying them.

"You were saying." Lucy raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"That was just a fraction of my power" Jose yelled as he sent several more ghosts at them.

Loke easily destroyed them again but Jose took advantage of the momentarily distracted lion letting loose another round of shadows. However, Lucy merely grinned as she saw them coming towards her and released a body of flames destroying them all.

"I've heard stories of your power, but they really don't do you justice" Jose said sweat going down his face.

"Yeah, yeah I get it I'm strong. This fight is boring, Loke let's end it here" she said.

"You got it princess."

"Demon Regulus flaming impact" together the two created a flawless unison raid, so powerful that not only did they manage to take down Jose but also set about half the guild on fire with their punch.

"Uh Lucy?" Loke called.

"Hmm, Loke" Lucy answered yawning.

"I think we may have overdone it again".

"Nah, I think we did it just right" Lucy said laughing, when she heard her best friend.

"ALL RIGHT, I'M ALL FIRED UP AGAIN!" Natsu's voice bellow as the fire seemed to disappear.

"See Loke, Natsu took care of the fire" Lucy smiled, going to sit down and watch her mate fight the airspace mage, still slightly worried though on how the fight was fairing.

* * *

On the side of the guild which did not catch on fire was Erza who was not doing as well as Lucy, in her fight. She was being forced back due to Aria using Airspace Zero as a shield while attacking with Zetsu.

' _Damn it, I can't get close with that dangerous Zero Airspace in the way._ ' Erza thought as she avoided another volley of Zetsu.

"That's right Erza Scarlet, Tremble down to your soul. Sink into despair! Superior skill can only defeat so many before being completely overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of my Zetsu." Aria taunted unknowingly emulating the words spoken by Heroic Spirit in another time and place.

"Don't listen to him Erza, you're super strong, like S-class strong, beat this guy up so we can go mate!" Lucy yelled from the sidelines in her #1 Erza fan t-shirt which Virgo had made with a picture of Erza in her heart crux armor and a sword pointed outward.

Erza facepalmed at the blonde's words, although she was slightly thankful for the cheering which gave her the courage to continue to fight, although... "STOP WITH THE MATING ALREADY!"

"Now then," Erza growled gripping her sword tightly as she prepared herself for a counterattack "You won't be getting away with all that you've done!" Air began to circulate around her sword forming a sheath which rendered it invisible.

'Wind magic and she's using it to make her sword invisible?' Aria thought, surprised at the sight 'No matter I will end this now."

"STRIKE AIR!" Erza roared causing the sheath of wind surrounding her sword to be released from the invisible barrier's bounds, bellowing forth like a savage dragon's roar.

"No what is this-AAAAGGGHHHH!" Aria screamed as the released invisible air slammed into him and smashed him through the back wall sending Phantom Wizard flying.

Erza gasped falling to her knees overwhelmed by the amount of magic she needed to use, and the exhaust she felt from dealing with Lucy.

"Woo! Go Erza!" Lucy yelled before falling through hole in the floor.

"Mavis Lucy" Erza said chuckling at her dumb demon.

* * *

After consuming the fire which he was pretty sure was caused by Lucy, Natsu felt all his energy return and even though the Black steel was using his dragon scales, Natsu could tell he was pushing him back.

"Alright Salamander eat this-ACK!" Gajeel was caught off guard as a body fell on top of him which felt heavier than it looked. Lucy suddenly stood up smiling at Natsu then turned to Gajeel with a dark look that gave him chills surprisingly. "Well I wasn't intending on dropping in, but I guess faith had other plans" Lucy chuckled.

"Aww, come on Luce, this is my fight!" Natsu whined as he saw Lucy deliver a flaming fist to the iron dragons jaw knocking him into the wall. "Sorry Natsu, but I owe him for Levy" Lucy said, turning back to the fight.

"Fine," he said, then sending the iron dragon slayer back with his own "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" the knockout punch going to Lucy who ended it with her famous Lucifer punch.

Seeing their strongest member knocked out told them all they needed to know, the war was lost, there was hardly any reason to continue with battle.

* * *

The guild was in the middle of celebrating their victory over Phantom Lord without a care in the world. Lucy could hear them from above the fallen Phantom Lord guild.

"Hey Gajeel!" Lucy called.

"Hey what are you doing Lucy?" Natsu asked confused.

"Look he has dragon slayer powers right, so he obviously had a dragon" Lucy pointed out.

"Yeah... so he might know where Igneel is!" Natsu said.

"Yeah that too, but... look I know demons aren't the same as dragons, but Lucifer went missing too and I thought maybe I could ask him if he knew anything".

"Yeah Luce. we can ask him together" Natsu smiled.

"Yo! Gajeel! Can you hear us?!" Natsu yelled.

"Nah! I can't hear nothing!" Gajeel responded.

Natsu and Lucy looked at each other and nodded then looked back down, "We just wanna know where you learned dragon slayer magic."

Gajeel looked away, "I told you I can't hear ya."

"You're the first wizard I'd ever met that uses the same kind of magic I do! Come on man tell me where you learned it!" Natsu demanded.

Gajeel pouted, "Shut up…"

"Aw don't be like that!" Natsu yelled comically.

"Metalicana." He said.

"Huh?" Natsu said dumbly.

Gajeel sat up, "The Iron Dragon."

"No way!" Natsu accidentally fell but sat right back up, "I thought you might have been taught by a dragon."

"Why? Were you?" Gajeel questioned.

Natsu leaned forward, "Where's Metalicana now?" he asked.

Gajeel looked up at the sky, "I don't know…"

Natsu faulted and groaned, "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!" he shouted.

"I SAID I DON'T KNOW!" Gajeel shouted back bumping foreheads with him then moving away from each other having hit their heads too hard.

"Man…I feel like I'm starting to lose brain cells just talking to you." Gajeel groaned.

"Watch it buddy." Natsu growled.

Gajeel sighed, "He just disappeared. Yeah, I've been training with Metalicana, but then one day he just up and left. Without saying a single word to me. Hmph, talk about a selfish jerk."

Natsu crawled over to him, "Wait he didn't happen to disappear on the seventh of July seven years, ago did he?"

Gajeel turned to him quickly, "Yeah, are you saying you know where Metalicana is?"

"I don't have a clue, but I've been looking for a Fire Dragon. His name is Igneel. The last time I saw him was July seventh seven years ago." Natsu told him.

Gajeel's eyes grew wide, "So both dragons vanished seven years ago, year X777." Natsu bumped his head against Gajeel's again frustrated.

"What's with all the sevens huh?!" Natsu yelled.

"How should I know?!" Gajeel countered. They both removed their foreheads from each other rubbing them to ease the pain.

Gajeel scoffed, "I don't care what happened to him."

Natsu clicked his tongue, "Just get the heck out of here already."

"Wait Natsu, I have a question for metal head now" Lucy said calmly.

Gajeel turned to them with a tick mark appearing on his head, "Why would I answer to you after that punch you sent me. Besides you're on our turf punks! If anyone's gonna leave it's you!" he yelled comically.

"Shut up and listen... Look a few years ago I was training with a fire demon named Lucifer but then he disappeared. Do you know what happened to him?"

"Why the heck would I know what happened to a demon?" Gajeel asked bewildered.

"I don't know" she asked despondently "but I had to ask. I've been looking for him for 5 years now and haven't seen a sign of him" she said turning to walk away.

Gajeel looked at the blonde shifting on his feet, "Hold up, their blondie. Look I'm not saying this is true but a few years ago while I was in Bosco, I heard of this demon appearance in the Pergrande kingdom".

Lucy and Natsu gasped at his words, while that kingdom was on relatively peaceful terms with Ishgar the travel to the kingdom was anything but a breeze and was not anything to joke about.

"All I know is that people said this demon showed up rampaging the nearby town, so they called upon their toughest S-class mages to take it out and then boom no longer is there a demon problem".

Lucy fell to her knees in tears, "No, Luce wouldn't let a few mages take him out, you're lying!" Looking to her friend she turned and walked away, realizing she was no closer to finding Lucifer than she was already. She needed to discuss things with her spirits.

Nastu got up too, a bit disappointed for his friend, "Well…let me know if you hear anything about Igneel okay." Natsu said walking away.

"Are you kidding me? Why would I do you any favors?" Gajeel questioned.

Natsu gave him a side glance and smiled, "Cause you and I are fellow dragon slayers."

Gajeel blushed, "Ah screw you! Next time I get my hands on you, you're dead! You'll be begging for mercy!"

Natsu crossed his arms and pouted, "There's no need to be so brutal. I was thinking about calling a truce, but after that outburst."

"I'm brutal?! Give me a break! You just totaled our guildhall!" Gajeel yelled.

"Only after you guys completely demolished ours first! Forget it I'm never calling a truce with you!" Natsu countered.

* * *

It was now evening, and a newly recovered Master was looking at what remained of the Fairy Tail guild, it has been destroyed by Jose's shades.

Makarov sighed, "It's in ruins. They really did a number on it huh?"

Lucy approached the old man playing with her cloak, "Old Man, I'm really sorry about this."

Makarov turned to her "Oh child, you've been through a lot lately but don't let it get you down."

"He's right let's see a smile Lu-chan." Levy said smiling at her.

Lucy looked over to her and saw that Jet and Droy were behind the small blue mage who were smiling at her.

"We beat Phantom so there's no reason to be sad." Levy smiled.

"Sure, they might have destroyed our guild hall." Droy smiled.

"But we're gonna rebuild it even bigger and better." Jet grinned.

"My little Levy…" Lucy grinned picking up the smaller mage and hugging her tight.

Jet scratched the back of his head, "Sorry we worried you Lucy, but we're alright."

Lucy shook her head, not letting go of the smaller mage who was pounding on the blondes' head to let her down, "No, please it was my fault in the first place".

"We already know about what happened, but not a single person in the guild blames you for anything." Droy grinned.

"Lucy." Makarov called out to her making the blonde look at him. "Fairy Tail is a family and your burden are our burden, always remember that."

Nodding at the old man she smiled in agreement, still not having let go of Levy who finally gave in to being held by Lucy.

"Now, while I'm glad everything's worked out, I am worried about the council. They'll be furious I'm sure." Makarov shuddered.

* * *

After about a week after Phantom Lords defeat everyone started rebuilding making it peaceful once again.

"Okay! Time for a break you guys!" Mira announced with a smile.

But soon the rune knights showed up, they answered to the magic council and as soon as they heard what went down it didn't take them long to show up and surround the members of Fairy Tail. Natsu and Happy tried to escape but the rune knight quickly captured them, while Master Makarov just kept on crying prompting Erza to tell him to pull himself together.

They rounded up all the Fairy Tail members and questioned them, they hardly questioned Lucy though, of course it wasn't hard to guess why given her reputation with the council. Eventually everything blew over and things began to get back to normal.

* * *

"Honestly brat, I don't think Gajeel was telling the truth, I mean you saw how that damn demon constantly took out those bandits who tried invading your spot in the forest" Aquarius said, trying to ease her masters worries of Lucifer being dead." I mean he didn't even say if it was a fire demon!"

Lucy turned to her spirit, "You're right! Luce wouldn't let some weak mages take him out" she laughed, "how stupid could I be even doubting him!"

Aquarius looked at Lucy smiling sadly.

"I'll see Lucifer again one day, I just know it" she whispered turning to look out the window Lucy got lost in thought of another event, "Until then I need to pay someone else a visit".

The mermaid already knowing who nodded and disappeared back to the spirit world.

* * *

Natsu was currently holding stacks of wood over his head, trying to prove to Gray he was stronger when they all fell right on top of him.

Happy sweat-dropped.

Mira merely sighed, "Oh, Natsu."

Gray was walking past him holding one stack of wood over his shoulder, "That's what you get for carrying too much ya moron."

"What'd you call me?!" Natsu roared.

They got in each other's faces, "You got a problem?" Gray asked.

"Yeah I gotta problem with your face!" Natsu yelled.

Unknown to them they were being watched by Juvia who had become infatuated with the ice mage and was hiding behind some rubble squealing.

"Gray my love I wish you'd carry me too!" she then shook her head and looked around again.

A lumber of wood hit them both on the head, "Cut it out!" a female voice ordered.

"Get back to work!" Erza commanded wearing a construction workers uniform, "Now! We've got a lot to do so no more lollygagging!"

"Aye…" both boys responded groaning in pain.

Jet and Droy were in the background sweat-dropping, "Man I wouldn't wanna work for Erza." Droy said.

"Did she requip into that outfit?" Jet wondered.

Master Makarov was in his giant form nailing some wood together.

"Even Master Makarov's hard at work." Levy smiled.

"Yeah in a big way!" Jet and Droy yelled.

"Hey boss! Where do you want me to put this lumber?" Erza asked.

Makarov grinned down at her pointing in some direction, "Over there."

"Now she's calling the master boss?" Jet and Droy questioned.

"Ow! That really hurt Erza!" Gray and Natsu complained getting up out of the ground.

"You guys playing whack a mole?" Happy asked.

Mira then came over holding something in her hand.

"Hate to say it…." Macao started to say.

"…But it looks a little too big." Wakaba finished.

"We figured we might as well expand the place," she brought up some designs that look like some kid drew them, "Look! I've got the plans right here!"

"Oh yeah?" Macao said.

"I wanna see." Wakaba said.

Natsu took a closer look at it, "I liked it just fine the way it was!"

Gray came up and looked at it too, "What's it gonna look like now?"

"What the…" Macao sweat-dropped having looked at it closely.

"Wow…that looks…great." Wakaba said slowly.

"Uh, so which way is up?" Natsu questioned.

Gray took a closer look at it, "Man these are the worst plans ever. What idiot came up with these?"

Mira smiled then started sobbing making Gray nervous while trying to make her feel better about her guild plans, "No, Mira! I didn't know it was you! They're great plans in fact!

"Nice job, you made her cry." Natsu, Macao, and Wakaba said.

Happy sighed, "That's Gray for ya."

After what felt like hours the gang finally took a break to stretch their muscles and just relax.

"Man, I'm starving I wonder if Lucy will give me some of that Celestial food!" Natsu said stretching his arms above his head.

"I thought Lucy said you couldn't eat that" Happy said.

"Eh".

"When's our lunch break?" Gray wondered. Water appeared out of nowhere splashing Natsu and Happy in the face except Gray. A pink lunch box appeared in his lap.

"What the?" Gray stared.

"I'm soaked." Natsu complained.

"A lunch box." Happy pointed.

"Where'd it come from?" Gray wondered opening it he saw it was his face made entirely of food along with some moving tentacle's making him shiver.

"Oh wow! That looks pretty tasty!" Natsu grinned.

"That's awesome! Your face is totally edible!" Happy told him.

"I can't eat this! It's just too weird! And something's oozing out of the side." Gray noticed.

"I'll eat it for you!" Natsu volunteered.

This is heartbreaking! I spent three whole days making that lunch for him! Juvia sobbed.

"Who said you could take a lunch break?!" Erza bellowed then noticed the lunch box in Gray's hands, "Hey, is that supposed to be your face made out of veggies?" she stuck a fork in his food face making Gray cry out.

She put it in her mouth, "Mm, this is good I could eat the whole thing."

"Guess I should try it then." Gray said.

Juvia had a fantasy of Gray liking the food and saying he would marry the cook, but her fantasy was interrupted when Happy began speaking again.

"I wonder how Lucy's doing since we haven't seen her around lately" Happy mentioned to the others.

"Hey, I got an idea, let's go check on her," Natsu suggested. "She'll enjoy our company!"

"Yeah" they all cheered.

* * *

Lucy's House

"Lucy!" Happy yelled.

"How're ya feeling?" Natsu roared.

Gray crawled out of the chimney, "Geez, don't come in through the window, have some manners fire breath."

"Hasn't anyone taught you boys how to use a door?" Erza questioned drinking some tea.

They sweat-dropped, "Since when are you miss manners?"

"For real." Happy agreed.

Natsu put his hands on his hips, "What's the deal?"

"Normally she would give a dopey grin and ask us when we got here" Gray said.

Erza put her fingers up to her chin, "I wonder where she could be?"

"In the bath?" Gray wondered walking towards it doing a Lucy impression horribly, "I know I'm asking for it but it's gotta be done," he opened the curtains, "Sorry about this."

"Not here." Natsu said from inside the bathtub.

"Where'd you come from?! Get outta here would ya?!" Gray yelled.

Erza had a towel wrapped around her head and body while holding a wooden bucket in her hand, "It seems as though she's not home."

"Way to state the obvious genius." Gray told her.

Natsu hummed in displeasure.

"It's just not the same without Lucy." Erza said, unaware of how much she missed the dopey looking slayer who had no concept of personal space.

"It feels weird not being able to hear her say inappropriate stuff to Erza." Happy said.

Gray looked gloomy, "My impression of her wasn't that bad." He sulked.

"Well, actually I won't miss that" Erza said, not aware she was lying to herself.

"Lucy?" Happy opened a drawer only to find her stash of candy.

"She in there?" Natsu asked only to have the same happy expression as Happy at finding the candy stash.

"Yeah, like she would fit in a drawer." Gray said sarcastically walking away from the two idiots, and instead went to check under bed finding a sketchbook. "I know it's rude to look, but..." was all Gray said as he opened the artbook, his eyes widening in surprise at his friends' artistic skills. "Whoa".

Erza approached Gray wondering what could be so interesting that he would stop searching for Lucy.

"I had no idea Lucy could draw" Erza said, looking through the loose drawings he had already gone over.

"I know, she drew all of us perfectly" Gray whispered, looking at the picture of him fighting Lyon.

"Wow, Lucy likes to draw you a lot Erza" Happy laughed as he held an abundant of papers with perfectly drawn sketches of the scarlet haired mage.

"Whoa, Lucy's awesome!" Natsu said grinning, "Look at this one Happy, she did a group picture of the three of us...think she'll let us keep it?" he asked.

"Of course, we're her partners" Happy said.

"I wonder who taught her?" Gray asked.

"Who knows, Lucy rarely ever talks about her past bar the advice Lucifer gave" Erza said, staring at a group sketch of team Natsu.

"Hmm, well give em back now. Lucy obviously hid this under her bed because she didn't want anyone to see them" Gray said, the others agreeing, and going back to searching for the blonde, not before each of them took their own drawing from her book. Each thinking one though, _"She won't mind"._

"Lucy! Where are you hiding?" Happy asked looking in the fridge.

"Would you stop looking in weird places!" Gray told them.

"Fine" Happy frowned heading towards her desk, knocking over a box filled with little trinkets, "Ouchy…" Happy said from under the box.

"You idiot that was Lucy's box full of souvenirs from when she traveled!" Gray said panicking, "you better not have broken anything!" Gray yelled.

"No, everything looks fine" Happy said slightly sweating.

"Wait you guys, I found a note. How we didn't see it when it was on her desk is beyond me" Erza said rolling her eyes.

"Okay and, what does the note say?!" Natsu yelled.

"To be honest it was quite hard to read having quite a few misspelled words, and grammar mistakes, the penmanship was very sloppy and I'm not sure, but I think she made up a few words."

"Erza!"

"Apologies…It says…she's going home." Her hand holding the note shaking, frowning.

"What?! No way!" they yelled.

* * *

Speaking of Lucy, she was walking towards the Heartfilia mansion while remembering something from her past that she was unable to let go until today. "Stupid jerk forgetting my birthday" she grumbled.

Lucy kept her pace and saw an old face she hadn't seen in years sweeping the floor, "Miss Spetto." The woman stopped sweeping and saw Lucy. Then all the other servants came out crying tears of happiness.

"Miss Lucy has come back to us!" they all cheered.

Lucy greeted them with hugs and apologized for making them worry.

"Miss spetto, I... wanna thank you and the other maids for your help all those years ago" Lucy said with a grin.

"Nonsense Lucy, Miss Layla would have never forgiven us if we held you back" she smiled back.

"Still thank you".

A maid approached her, "Miss Lucy! The master requests your presence in the study!"

She let out a bit of smoke from her mouth, "Hmm, better not keep him waiting then" she said as she began walking inside the mansion, pausing to walk back to Miss Spetto.

"Before I leave will you make me make me a few sandwiches for the road" Lucy said sheepishly, "You always made them really good".

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Miss Spetto grabbed Lucy's hands and nodded, "Of course, Miss Lucy".

"Thank you, Miss Spetto," Lucy said smiling as she walked away.

* * *

Lucy had finally found her father's office and was staring at it before barging in shocking the man inside at her manners.

"What, you're not even going to knock?" he asked, then frowned at her casual clothes and scar on her face, ruining her perfect complexion.

"...No."

"Hmm, you ran away without saying a word to me, how could you?" Jude said.

She rolled her eyes, "I doubt you really care, all you really wanted me for was to marry me off like a little whore".

He narrowed his eyes at her; "Your mother would never approve of that language."

She glared at him, "And mother would never approve of you hitting me, but you still did."

"I hit you when you disobeyed me, and you're lucky I don't right now for your insolence" Jude growled.

Lucy let her magic release frightening Jude. "Really father, you really think you could even get close enough to hit me?" Lucy laughed. "I'm a wizard saint, with the power of a demon slayer and celestial mage" she smirked, "All you have is money which will run out one day".

Jude scoffed, "You are a Heartfilia, you have no business with that filthy guild. As of today, you are no longer to affiliate with those mongrels and will meet with the arranged marriage I have set up without any complaints, understand?"

"I don't think so" she growled to him coldly, "I realize now you think I came here to make amends, but I didn't, I'm here to say my final goodbyes."

He was shocked at the cold look in her eyes.

"That day I left I knew what I was doing. I had the help of my celestials to lead me on a journey which helped me be stronger and learn that you were not a father after mother died", she glared at him. "Oh, and so you know, I already found my mate so there's no need for an arranged marriage. She's amazing, hot, and even though she's stubborn she plans on taking the Heartfilia name".

"Mate?" Jude said, confused on just what the hell his daughter was talking about.

"I figured out when I was a just child and you left me alone with only my spirits that no amount of money can make you happy! For years I traveled with the bare minimum, yet I was still so happy, even now I'm happy with where I am. And I'm not gonna let you ruin that for me ya hear! I'm warning you! You better not mess with Fairy Tail ever again!" she warned.

He stood there in awe at his young and timid, at once obedient daughter.

"As far as I'm concerned, you're no father of mine, Lucifer is! And if you threaten Fairy Tail again, we will crush you just like any other enemy!" she told him.

His eyes widened.

She laughed bitterly, "You wanna know what's sad? It didn't have to be this way. We probably could have sat down, ate some fire meat and talked things out, even though I don't do that much, I'd have done it for you. But instead you thought starting a war between guilds was the answer" sighing "And I'm not "Lucky" Lucy Heartfilia any more, I'm Lucy the Ishgar Demon of Fairy Tail.

She kept on walking, "When I left this place it hit me what I had done, but only because I had left the only place with memories of mom and I". She stopped walking a gentle smile etched in her face, "But…it's time for me to move on. I truly believe if mom were still alive, well she'd probably scold me for leaving when I was barely even nine, but also be happy I was following my own path and doing what makes me happy" she chuckled.

Jude could have sworn he saw Layla's spirit behind Lucy smiling a sweet smile at her daughter then turned to smile at him, "Layla…"

Lucy walked away from him and this time she wasn't stopping to look by.

* * *

"Here are your sandwiches, no crust just like you like them" the old maid whispered, tightly hugging Lucy.

"I do love sandwiches with no crust" Lucy grinned, "But I've yet to meet anyone who could make one like you".

"You little liar" Miss Spetto laughed swatting the girl away. "Goodbye Miss Lucy"

"Bye Miss Spetto".

Heartfilia Family Grave

After getting her sandwiches Lucy had gone to her next destination her mother's grave. Standing in front of it she couldn't help staring with a small smile and an unshed tear. This visit was long overdue she realizes.

It read, Layla Heartfilia, X748-X777

"It's good to see you after such a long-time mom. I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye to you first, but it was sort of a spur of the moment idea" Lucy chuckled her bangs covering her face. "I miss you so much".

She looked up at the statue that was above the grave and smiled at it. She then sighed knowing she had to get back soon, "Well, I better get back mom, I think I stayed here longer than planned. I'll come back again. I promise."

"LUCY!"

She couldn't help but flinch having recognized those voices instantly.

"Natsu? Mate? Gray?" she turned around and there was the rest of her team running towards her with worried looks on their faces.

"LUCY!" they cried out again.

"You're here?" she yelled confused.

Happy crashed into her chest crying, "Lucy!"

She wrapped her arms around the sobbing exceed, "Happy, why are you-" she was cut off from a bear hug courtesy of Natsu.

"You can't leave us Lucy! You promised you wouldn't leave!" he yelled holding her tighter.

"You guys are confusing me."

Happy squeezed out of the embrace and landed on her head, "We saw the note on your desk. You said you were going home."

"We all saw it." Erza stated wiping the tears out of her eyes.

"You're not seriously leaving, are you?" Gray asked.

Lucy sighed rubbing the back of her neck, "Erza still hasn't accepted my claim, of course I'm not leaving" winking at the scarlet mage.

"That's why you're not leaving" Gray deadpanned.

Ignoring the ice mage, she looked back to her mother's grave, "I just came to tell my dad to back off and visit my mom's grave." Lucy said. "I was a bad daughter and left without saying goodbye" Lucy whispered the last part only Natsu hearing, his face softening at his best friends' admittance.

"So, your mom is really…?" Gray questioned carefully.

She nodded, "Yeah, she was super healthy and powerful too, well in my eyes she was" Lucy said smiling, "But one day she just got really really sick and nothing we did could help her. I would visit her every day, while my dad just stayed in his study room too busy to see her." Lucy sighed. "Then on July seventh of x777 my mom passed."

The forlorn look on the slayers face throwing the trio of mages off guard, not something they were used too, as the grave in front of them.

* * *

Lucy waved goodbye to everyone in the mansion and didn't even bother to look back and see Jude's expression. She walked away with her head held high and with her new family.

"Sorry for scaring you guys, guess I should a been clearer in my note." Lucy smiled.

"It's alright, we shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." Erza told her. "Although your penmanship could do with some work".

"Yeah, we thought you were going back for good." Gray said.

"Erza here was crying like a baby." Natsu said pointing at the armored mage who began glaring at him.

"That is a lie, you were the one crying not me" Erza countered blushing.

He grinned evilly, "Sure, sure and I was also the one who came up with a plan to kidnap her back no matter what right?"

"You're dead Natsu."

"Aww, mate, did you miss me?" Lucy teased, tossing an arm around Erza making her blush.

"I gotta tell ya I'm kinda digging your hometown." Gray told her looking around.

"Me too. It's such a peaceful place." Erza complimented, deciding to give in and stay underneath Lucy's arm.

"Town? This isn't a town, it's part of our gardens. The Heartfilia estates goes all the way up to that mountain, way over there" she pointed nonchalantly. They took some time to process what she just told them before they started freaking out.

"Holy crap she's rich!" Gray saluted.

"And acts like its nothing!" Natsu saluted.

"Two of our best soldiers are down!" Happy told Erza, "Captain Erza what are your orders?!"

"Wow," she said looking up at the sky, "The sky is so beautiful."

"We need a medic! Captain Erza has a screw loose!" Happy announced.

"Oooppa!" Gray and Natsu yelled.

Lucy walked passed them confused, while staring at the sky. "Is it not normal to have gardens this big?" Lucy thought.

* * *

Sorry for skipping out on Gray and Elfman's fights but I figured get right to the parts you've all been waiting for. Also Lucy got some news about a possible sighting of Lucifer, oooh. Anyways hope you guys like this chapter thank linka682 for the update tonight since I was gonna wait another few days to post. And finally I should've done this earlier but special thanks to **shadowdemon 1234, arcadea333, AkiraShidou, Brunadsc, ,** ATLDuckDeeno, for the constant reviews.


	16. Lessons with Lucifer

**Lessons from with Luce**

"Wake up my little demon, time to train!"

"Ughh, what time is it even?" Lucy groaned, "I can still see the stars out Luce".

"It's 3 am. Which makes it the perfect time to train. We are celestial beings, which means when the stars are out is when our magic is most potent" Luce explained. "Write that down".

Lucy was still a bit groggy but followed her surrogate fathers' orders. "Wouldn't training at night be the best time for us?" Lucy asked.

"Bah, it's dark and the stars are out so we can still train effectively. Besides think of this as training for your sleep schedule, humans only need 7 hours of sleep so if you sleep by 8 pm then when you wake up for 3 am training you'll be fully energized!" Luce explained grinning.

"Ahhhh- I guess so" Lucy yawned, putting on her workout attire.

"Atta girl"

* * *

"This is boring little demon. Let's take a nap"

"But you said we would finish this lesson!" Lucy yells while trying to get Lucifer back on track to her spelling lesson.

"I'll be honest with you, I don't know if I'm spelling any of this right" Lucifer said chuckling.

"What the, are you serious!" Lucy yelled.

"I'm a demon Lucy, why the hell do I need to write?" he bellowed.

Lucy sputtered, "Wait a sec, so have you just been giving me a hundred percent on my spelling quizzes so we could take naps quicker?" Lucy eyed.

"Pfft, noooo"

"Lucifer" Lucy growled.

Lucifer sighed, "Yes".

"Seriously, man that's like a year worth of lessons down the drain, dumb demon!"

"It's not my fault this stuff is boring! Why do humans even need this stuff!"

"Because!" Lucy yelled back.

"Because what!"

"Well, to communicate, and stuff like that?" she replied.

"Pfft, what talking isn't good enough?" he said.

Lucy rolled her eyes at the demon who still looked down on other humans, her being the only exception.

"Whatever let's just take that nap. I don't even wanna know think about how far behind I am in my writing lessons right now" Lucy chuckled.

"Alright, nap time!" he yelled, happy he got the girl to cave into his desire.

* * *

"My little demon"

"Yeah Luce!"

"Let's take a break from your studies, and take a nap yeah?" Lucifer said while trying to discreetly move away from the forest fire he had started after trying to explain how to subtract.

"Yeah, totally! Math sucks anyways." Lucy shouted, watching Aquarius try to put out the fire Lucifer had started.

It had been 2 years since Lucy had been with Lucifer and ever since then his habits had started to finally rub off on the younger girl, something he was very happy about.

"You're a stupid demon! I gave you that chalkboard for a reason!" the mermaid spirit yelled while using the lake they were near to try and stop the forest from completely catching fire.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Let's go have that nap Lucy" tossing the girl on his back and taking her away from the small fire.

* * *

"This is taking too long Lucy, why are you even doing it like this!" Lucifer roared.

"What are you talking about? You're the one who said I had to learn how to cook without using my powers!" Lucy shouted.

"Well I didn't mean right now!"

"You damn demon make up you're mind!" Lucy roared back.

"Don't take that tone with me"

"Well, don't be so weird!"

"You don't be so weird!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Lucifer looked at the uncooked boar then at Lucy. "So, you're gonna cook, that right?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec" Lucy grumbled.

* * *

"Well when I found my mate, she was always rejecting me, so you can only imagine how long my courting ritual went on for" Lucifer said flippantly, then laughed, "But let me tell you eventually she saw how charming I was and couldn't resist smiling every time she saw me".

Lucy's eyes were wide listening to Lucifer's recount of how he met his mate. "So, you didn't have it easy getting with your mate" Lucy said surprised.

"Little demon, just because I'm an awesome celestial demon who is the strongest in all of Earthland doesn't mean that even I'm not prone to being rejected" he explained.

Sighing with a slight nostalgic look in his eye he continues to tell his story, "Yeah, she was great, constantly saying stuff like " Leave me alone Lucifer!" or "I already said I don't want anything to do with you, what will it take for you to understand that you overgrown celestial dummy!" she was a riot" Lucifer said chuckling.

Lucy looked at him incredulous, how the hell did he win over his mate who sounded like she wanted nothing to do with him. "Uh, no offense Luce, but how the heck did you actually win over your mate because from what you've been telling me she was adamant about rejecting you".

Lucifer laughed out loud, "Oh little demon you have so much to learn about claiming. No, you see she just wanted me to think that so I would work harder to impress her and show I was truly devoted to winning her over" he said sagely. "She started falling for me once she saw that no matter how many insults, she threw at me, no matter how many obstacles she put in my way, I never faltered from trying to win her over, unlike all the other demons who when trying to claim her ran away as soon as she told them no and called them an idiot".

Lucy began writing all his words down once she heard this. "Fascinating".

"Yeah, as soon as she accepted my claim, she even admitted that she was testing my devotion to her, and I'll admit it turned me on little demon, and my inner demon roared happily once we were together".

"Wow, that's, that's just amazing. I thought you were just being pushy but...she was playing hard to get the whole time!"

"Indeed, and like I said Lucy, denial is just their way of playing hard to get" smiling down at his prodigy, "I bet you ten jewels your mate is going to act the same way".

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"Because us demon slayers never get anything easy" he laughed, Lucy joining in.

* * *

"God do I feel bad for whoever gets stuck with the brat" Aquarius mumbled.

"Come now, Miss Lucy won't be that bad" Capricorn chuckled.

"Yeah, I bet Ebi will be smoother than how Lucifer sounds" Cancer grinned.

* * *

"Let's take a nap Lucy I'm tired, and today's been such a drag" Lucifer said yawning, accidentally spitting out a stream of flames setting a tree on fire.

"STUPID DEMON!" Aquarius yelled, once again having to come out and stop a Lucifer Forest Fire™ from spreading.

"Oh, thank god I was so tired getting up today" Lucy groaned.

"I know, the amount of energy we used walking from the cave to outside was enormous, I'm surprised we didn't pass out from exhaustion" Lucifer said, before curling up into a ball, allowing space for Lucy to lay down.

"I-ahhhh-know" Lucy yawned going to lay down.

"Are you two serious? You literally got up ten minutes ago, ate breakfast and are now going back to bed" Aquarius yelled, realizing the two demon slayers were already asleep and her shouts were falling upon deaf ears.

"He's corrupting this girl" She sighed.

* * *

"To prepare for war- "

"She's not going to war you damn demon."

Grunting Lucifer changes his wording to satisfy the angry mermaid, "To prepare for battle-

"Better!"

"We will be discussing strategies."

"Like what?" Lucy asked, notebook out ready to scribble notes which she most likely will have to have Aquarius go over since she's yet to have proper writing lessons from Lucifer.

"People are not kind Lucy, so you must be prepared to be underhanded and gain an advantage over that. If someone attacks you when you are not looking or are unable to defend, then attack them ten, no one hundred-fold, understand" Lucifer said.

"Got it" Lucy said writing down the note.

"Never attack unprovoked, or unless attacked first."

"Why?"

"Because then you can claim self defense and honestly that is the best way to get out of prison time" Luce chuckled.

"Wow that's genius" Lucy said writing down the advice.

"Thank you I know."

* * *

"Do you ever think it'd be better if we may be taught Miss Lucy, instead of letting Lucifer?" Capricorn asked a bit apprehensive at seeing the demon's teachings.

"Nah, ebi's learning just fine" Cancer said casually.

"Yeah, besides so long as she doesn't become some serial killing maniac, I think the demon's doing just fine" Aquarius said, not at all trusting the demon to teach Lucy, but also too lazy to go out and teach Lucy anything.

"Very well."

* * *

"You will be strong under my tutelage I will make sure of that but remember there will be someone stronger than you".

"Really, so what do I do when I face someone so strong" Lucy said worried.

"You fight with all you have and hope for the best honestly" he shrugged.

"I spoke too soon for the stupid demon." Aquarius sighed.

* * *

"Luuuuce, I'm hungry!" Lucy whined.

"I know, so am I" he said.

"Liar, you're eating that wyvern right in front of me! There's no way you're hungry. Where's my food?" Lucy asked.

"Well I figured we should get onto training you're senses" Lucifer explained.

"Okay, and?"

"Well somewhere in this forest I hid a boar that was cooked medium rare alongside some vegetables Capricorn gathered".

"What-why did you hide it!" Lucy whined louder.

"Because if you want to eat tonight then it's your job to find it with just your nose" he laughed.

Grumbling Lucy started to walk off in search of her food before he stopped her. "Little demon wait, I have some tips to help you, I'm not totally heartless" he chuckled.

Walking back Lucy looked to Lucifer waiting.

"I want you to close your eyes, completely shutting off your sight" Lucifer ordered.

Lucy nodded shutting her eyes.

"Take a deep breath of the air, then slowly exhale and do it again until you can identity what you smell" Lucifer said.

Lucy followed his words breathing in and out slowly with no results. For what felt like hours she continued this until finally she could identify a smoky scent which she identified as Lucifer. Immediately her eyes shot open looking at Lucifer who merely smiled and nodded his head for her to go and find her food.

Lucy ran inside the forest following her nose, while it wasn't that strong yet, she was still able to get a good enough direction of where she needed to head to get to her dinner. The stars were out by time Lucy made it back to Lucifer who was already asleep.

Stumbling back to camp Lucy smiled having found her food, but completely exhausted from having to find her way back. "It took awhile but I caught Luce's scent in the wind" she smiled tiredly.

"And you did wonderfully" Lucifer said smiling down at his little demon now awake. "Now we can move on to working on your hearing!" he yelled making her sweat drop hoping it was nothing like what she had to endure with searching for her food.

* * *

"Wow Lucy, Lucifer sounds just as weird as you" Happy said.

"Nah Happy, I think Lucy is weird because of Lucifer" Natsu laughed, trying to hold back his tears at hearing his friend really did have to search for her food by sniffing it out.

Lucy sat across from them at her coffee table smiling at the memories she was retelling. "Yeah, Lucifer was a real weirdo" she laughed.

"But I wouldn't have him any other way" Lucy said.

"So, what happened to him?" Happy asked getting a slap on his head from Natsu, who just glared at the cat for being so insensitive.

"Well, one-night Lucifer and I went to bed like usual after a rather brutal magic lesson, when the next day I wake up and Lucifer was gone, no sign of him anywhere" Lucy paused remembering the day vividly looking around the forest for hours coming up with nothing.

"I searched for days and couldn't find him anywhere, even tried finding his scent, but it was like he fell off the face of the earth. It was that day Capricorn recommended I go off and solo it so I can gain some experience fighting, that's how I ended up in Alvarez actually".

"Whoa... that's rough Luce I'm sorry" Natsu said.

"Nah, don't be, Luce would be angry if he knew I was crying over him being gone. I mean, it sucks, but I know one day I'll see him again" she boasted confidently.

"Yeah, and I'll see Igneel and we can see whose dad is stronger!" Natsu shouted.

"Pfft don't even make me laugh, we both know it's my dad!" Lucy laughed, tackling Natsu for even thinking his dad could take on Lucifer.

"Ha, yeah right! Igneel's totally gonna take down Luce!"

* * *

Someone wanted a filler with Lucifer and his teachings with Lucy I think it was, so here you go. Like they requested I'll probably do one so you can understand how Lucifer was and how Lucy came to be how she is, every new arc.


	17. Fights and Spas

In Era Master Makarov got done talking to the Members of the Magic Council and was happy to hear Fairy Tail will not be held accountable for their crimes. Mainly because they still owed the Ishgar Demon and they knew it.

Makarov sighed, "While I'm glad Phantom Lord was disbanded and Jose was stripped of his rank, I have to admit I'm a little surprised that Fairy Tail was found innocent."

Yajima chuckled, "That's because the council knows the Ishgar Demon would never attack someone unprovoked".

Makarov shook his head, "What do you mean?"

Yajima looked at him, "Your newest member has an M.O. no matter where she goes, or what she destroys it is never without reason and always after someone else has made the first move".

Makarov raised a brow, "Really?"

"Hmm."

Makarov closed his eyes, "Lucy Heartfilia, you truly are a mystery".

* * *

 **Fairy Tail**

"Listen up everyone! We're taking up job requests again starting today! You'll have to excuse the mess while we're under construction, but at least you can get back to work!" Mira announced cheerfully.

Everyone cheered happy they could finally start taking up jobs again much to Lucy's amusement.

"It's great everyone's happy again, and busy so I can sneak away to Erza's place." Lucy smiled.

Mira giggled, "It is nice isn-wait, what did you say?"

Lucy sipped her beer slowly refusing to repeat herself, also not wanting to get in trouble for breaking and entering in another's person house.

"Lucy what did you say?" Mira asked again, still not getting an answer instead getting interrupted by Natsu and Gray, who decided to run over to Lucy to ask a question they deemed important.

"Hey Lucy, who's the strongest?! Me or this guy?!" they yelled.

"Uh, out of you two? I don't know you guys are pretty equal in my opinion, but I mean overall I'm the strongest" She responded.

Mira and Happy laughed while Gray and Natsu's jaws dropped.

"Luuucy that's mean~" Natsu whined.

She went to speak again when a barrel came soaring through the air hitting her in the head. "Ouch, who threw that" she asked looking for the culprit while everyone else looked at her in awe that she didn't pass out.

"Why don't you tell the others how you feel?!" Erza yelled.

Lucy stood up growling, "Who's making my mate mad?"

Those by the bar looked to see Erza currently glaring at Laxus who had an arrogant smirk on his face.

"I have no problem telling them what I think of 'em," he grinned, "This guild's full of nothing but losers and weaklings."

He turned to Jet and Droy, "Especially the two of you morons. You were Phantom's personal punching bags, you know I'm glad I never bothered to learn your names."

Jet and Droy looked down ashamed.

He looked over at Lucy who was picking wood out of her hair, "And then there's the blondie who started all this in the first place. Why are you still even here?"

Lucy looked around to see she was the only other blonde in the guild indicating Laxus was speaking to her, causing the guild to sweat drop.

"Pfft, I'm here for two reasons" Lucy says with a dopey grin.

"Oh, and what's that?" Laxus asked, rolling his eyes at blonde..

Pulling a surprised scarlet haired mage to her side "First, Erza has yet to accept my claim so I'm working on getting her to say yes, and second I promised Natsu I'd be his partner so I definitely can't leave" Lucy said, pulling a grinning Natsu to her other.

Laxus lost his grin quickly putting everyone on edge. He then got up from his seat, "You are easily the stupidest guild member we've ever had, and that's saying something considering we have Natsu".

Lucy frowned at Laxus words and let both of her friends go, "Now hold on just a second lightning bolt, I may not be bright but don't go bringing Natsu into this. Got it" Cracking her knuckles she pointed to the burly man, "And I'm not that stupid if I can make wizard saint rank, unlike you who can't even do a S-class quest without a 4-person team!"

Lighting engulfed Laxus, ""Excuse me? I don't think I heard you." Off by the side, Happy, Mira, Natsu and Erza were beginning to worry about the blonde's safety, she may be strong but Laxus was an unknown variable when he was angry.

"Tch, I know for a fact you heard me. Now apologize to everyone before I make you" Lucy said flippantly.

"How bout I do this, instead" Laxus said sending a large amount of lighting towards the blonde too fast for any normal mage to dodge. The entire guild watched in horror as it went to hit Lucy who stood still aiming to take it head on.

"LUCY!" Natsu, Erza and Gray yelled as they saw the lightning go to hit the girl, then somehow suddenly disappear while Lucy sighed in content.

"My tongue tingles" Lucy said chuckling at not being able to feel her tongue.

All those around her, including Laxus stared at her in disbelief, they couldn't believe she just swallowed the s-class mages lightning like it was nothing.

"What-the hell" Laxus stuttered looking at the weirdo in front of him who just ate his magic.

Lucy looked back to Laxus grinning, making him nervous once he saw his lightning begin to arc from her. "My turn" she said before rushing towards Laxus and shouting, "Lightning demons hellfire fist!" instantly knocking out Laxus when her fist reached his face.

"Oh my, I didn't know Lucy could do that," Mira said.

"I know, I honestly thought she was dead meat for a second…then again from the stories she's told us I don't know why I'm surprised she ate lightning" Gray commented.

Happy nodded, "Yeah, well Lucy did say that her demon taught her a bunch of tricks and stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised if eating other elements was one of them."

Natsu was staring at the aftermath of the showdown between Lucy and Laxus, "Man, Luce really had us going for a sec!"

"What the devil do you think you're doing?!" Makarov yelled, looking at his unconscious grandson and Lucy who currently had lightning arcing off her.

The blonde looked to her right and saw it was master Makarov who didn't look very happy.

"Explain this!" he demanded.

Lucy walked over to him shrugging, "He attacked me first, so naturally I defended myself by attacking him back."

Makarov shivered at the cold look in her eyes, seeing no signs of deceit in her eyes, but also no remorse for knocking Laxus out, he merely sighed "I understand, but please, hold back your strength when fighting".

Walking off she shot the peace sign, "Depends".

Makarov looked at his grandson and shook him awake, "Laxus, go home now! You've caused enough trouble for today!"

Laxus woke up groaning and glared not only at his grandfather but at Lucy promising payback. He turned his back to them and scoffed disappearing in a bolt of lightning.

Makarov couldn't help but sigh at his grandson's behavior, "I don't know what's wrong with that boy, but his attitude will get him into serious trouble one day."

Lucy looked at him, "Hey, uh Old man…"

Makarov smiled at her, "Why don't you and your team grab a job request to go on? It's been awhile since you all went on one."

Lucy frowned, "I don't know I'm pretty tired, and I kind of wanna sneak into Erza's room-

"What was that?" Master asked.

"I said I'm gonna go get a snack before I check out Mira's brooms" Lucy coughed while walking to the request board and avoid Master. Finding a job proved easy so taking it off the board she brought it over to Mira who managed to revert to her normal happy self, "Could you stamp this Mira?"

Mira smiled at her gently, "Of course." She grabbed the request and stamped it.

Lucy turned to her team who had yet to move from their spot. "Pfft, guys let's go we got a job request to do!"

* * *

The job request was disappointing to say the least. They were told they would be fighting a band of thieves which were causing trouble for the nearby village, but to Team Natsu's disappointment they weren't all that hard to take out. Gray and Natsu tag teamed a group of the thieves while Lucy and Erza took out the other half, together it took less than twenty minutes to finish the job.

They arrived at the clients place and he gave them the full reward money letting them be able to head back to Magnolia ahead of schedule.

"That was pretty boring" Lucy grumbled kicking pebbles alongside the road.

"Yeah" Natsu and Gray grumbled.

Erza clapped her hands getting their attention, "Since we've completed the job early, I was thinking we could go to a spa, how does that sound?"

Lucy had stars in her eyes, "Yes mate, that sounds excellent. I've heard about these spas, but I've never been to one before"

"Me neither! Let's go!" Happy said.

"Sweet!" Natsu grinned.

"Sounds good to me." Gray smirked.

Erza smiled, "Then it's settled we're all going."

"Aye!" they said.

* * *

 **Hosenka Town Spa**

Lucy and Erza were currently in the women's bath relaxing, after much debate of whether Lucy should be with the boys or not-

"I'm gonna see you naked eventually Erza, might as well let me now" Lucy said with a smirk, before getting bonked on the head.

"I'll allow you to bathe with me but try anything and I'll stab you" Erza threatened.

"Gotcha!" Lucy winked.

-And both were having a good time. Lucy was currently underwater soaking in the heat finally emerging when she needed air. "This bath is amazing!"

Erza stood up from the water, "It is. And the moon is quite nice tonight as well."

Lucy looked over to see when she noticed she still had on her armor. Sweat-dropping she decided to ask why her mate was still in clothing, "Mate…you know you can take your armor off in here and just relax right? I already promised not to do anything".

"I'm more relaxed with it on." Erza stated.

"Hmm, I know what you mean, I never go anywhere without my cloak" Lucy says standing up to show her cloak still on, "but still, doesn't it feel kind of uncomfortable even just a little?" Lucy asked, not noticing her mate blushing at seeing her naked.

" Now that you mention it. It does," she said, "I may need to reconsider my definition of relaxation."

"It's alright mate, once we're mated, I'll show you how to relax better" Lucy grinned, watching Erza requip her armor away.

Lucy stared in awe, "Wow, you've one amazing body mate."

"Uh, thank you... you have a nice body too." Erza complimented.

"Thanks, I work out", Lucy said proudly flexing, still not noticing how much she was making Erza blush.

* * *

 **At the Inn**

"All right! Let's get this party started!" Natsu grinned holding two pillows in his hands.

"Aye!" Happy said holding one up in the air.

Gray groaned from his futon, "Oh come on, I'm trying to sleep here. Why don't you take your party outside?"

"It's a sleepover! You know that means, right? You gotta bust out your pillow, or are you too scared?" Natsu taunted.

"Of you?" Gray scoffed, "Yeah right."

"Hmph, my arsenal is equipped with only the most powerful pillows." Erza smirked.

Lucy looked at her mate, with a gleam in her eye, "Lucifer said always make sure to impress your mate". Grabbing the pillows that were deposited next to her by Virgo, Lucy fluffed them before preparing herself for battle.

"Too bad for you Lucy, looks like you're gonna be letting Erza down today!" Natsu said getting ready to throw the pillow.

Gray sighed, "Grow up you guys." Natsu threw the pillow at Lucy only for her to backflip out of the way while it hit the ice mage instead.

Gray growled and stood up, "You're in for it now!" he looked down and saw that he had a mountain of pillows by his side and grinned, "Oh! Look at all these pillows." Behind him hiding behind a big rock was the water mage Juvia who had a pillow in her hand.

Gray sent the pillow flying at Natsu making a direct hit while throwing another one at Erza who simply caught it in her hand. Lucy watched them throw pillows back and forth, having a good time and noticed three were coming right at her, grinning she saw this as the perfect chance to take aim.

"Take this!" and quickly dodging the three pillows she three the one in her hand straight at Natsu throwing him through their rooms' wall. Next Lucy looked at Gray and Erza who quickly decided to team up realizing the disadvantage they had over the overpowered girl. Tossing as many pillows as they could at her she continued to dodge finally seeing an opening when they ran out of pillows and tossing two pillows at her teammates pushing them outside of the room and knocking them out.

Smiling Lucy looked to her teammates and innocently asked "So I won right?"

"Uhhh, remind me to never have pillow fight with Lucy again" Gray moaned.

"Agreed" Erza said getting up.

* * *

 **At the Guild**

Gray and Natsu were in the middle of glaring at Lucy.

"What's up with these two?" Elfman questioned.

"Evidently the two of them were hurt during a pillow fight after their last job." Mira explained.

"If they're that banged up then those pillows must've been full of bricks." Elfman stated.

"No, they just forgot how strong Lucy was, and that she doesn't really know how to hold back" Mira giggled.

"It was just a pillow fight what were you getting so worked up about?!" Gray growled.

"Lucifer said to always give it your all when you fight, and I wanted to impress Erza" Lucy said nonchalantly.

"Are you kidding me, you almost broke my back Luce!" Natsu yelled.

"Seriously, think you knocked one of Erza's tooth out too" Gray joked.

"And Erza would still look beautiful without that tooth" Lucy said, missing the others faces drop.

* * *

"Yo, Lucy!" Loke yelled drawing the blonde's attention.

"Oh Loke, what's up? I forgot you were still even out" Lucy laughed.

"Wait Loke's been out his whole time and you were fine. I thought Celestial mages had like a limit to how long their keys could be open?" Gray asked confused.

Lucy tapped her chin in thought, "Yeah, that's true but I'm me so...yeah. Anyways I promised Loke he could stay out if he helps me beat Jose and since he did, I held up my end of the bargain and let him hang out on Earthland".

" _Holy shit she's strong!"_ the guild thought.

"So, what'd you want" Lucy asked.

"Oh well, I just wanted to give you a thank you gift for letting me use some of you power to hang out. I know you're strong but even you have your limits" Loke said smiling, then bringing out four resort tickets, "Here you go."

"What are these?" Lucy questioned.

"Their tickets to this awesome beach resort. I know you've never been, so I thought what better way to say thank you for all you've done then treat you to a new experience" Loke smiled.

They took them gratefully much to his amusement, "I already gave Erza her ticket, I hope you guys have a good time."

"Come on chop chop! No lollygagging, now hurry up or I'll leave you behind." Erza told them wearing beach clothing and having packed a lot of luggage.

"So much stuff!" Gray exclaimed.

Lucy watched them with a smile, "This is the perfect way to serenade Erza, you are the greatest wingman on Earthland, Loke!"

"You know it" Loke laughed as he disappeared.

Erza approached her, "Are you packed yet? We're about ready to leave."

"Of course, mate, I'm always packed", showing a bag underneath her cloak, she smiled.

"How did I not see that?" Erza asked.

"Come on Lucy lets go to the beach!" Natsu yelled with excitement.

"Aye!" Happy agreed.

"I can't wait to get to the beach to soak up some rays." Gray smirked.

"Me too, what an unexpected treat it would be." Erza smirked, "Now let's have some fun."

"Aye!" they all yelled.

Lucy noticed Erza's beautiful smile, how bright it was, little did she know that smile would soon vanish.

* * *

Almost there...


	18. Tower of Heaven

Team Natsu had finally made it to the beach for some much-needed vacation time after the Phantom Lord fiasco. Now that the team had made it to the hotel Lucy and the others were relaxing and enjoying their vacation time.

Erza had convinced Lucy to ride the water ski with her, more like punish in Lucy's opinion. "This is-isn't fun ma-mmprh."

"It is for me." Erza chuckled.

Gray and Natsu were surprisingly getting along by laughing at Lucy get dragged along by Erza onto the water making the other girl look like she was on the verge of death.

When Erza decided she was done messing with Lucy she took her back to the beach where her and the others could play around with a beach ball.

Lucy smiled happily enjoying the time she was having with her team, unknown to her that time would come to an end.

* * *

Erza smiled contently as she recalled the fun, they had that day. Lucy being tricked into riding a jet-ski with her, Natsu and Gray getting along for once, and Happy being buried in the sand.

 _All things considered, today was a blast..._ She closed her eyes. _It really was..._

* * *

 _As a large bang reverberated in the air a line of men and children were seen struggling to move large stone blocks._

 _Children struggled to continue moving in the horrible conditions, a child wailed as rocks tumbled down on it._

 _One of the guards with a whip roared, cursing and hitting the slaves for their slow work._

 _A small redhead huddled in a corner of her cell, crying, hoping she wouldn't be noticed._

" _Erza..." A boy's voice sighed. "In this world, freedom is merely an illusion..."_

* * *

Erza jolted out of her sleep taking short breaths and looking at her wrists, "Just a dream…I must've fallen asleep without realizing it." She stood up from the chair she was sleeping on and stared at the setting sun. Then walked over to the mirror in her room.

She requipped into her armor, "I always feel more at ease wearing armor. Although, as a wardrobe choice I guess it's not the most feminine." A few seconds later there was a knock on her door, opening it and revealing it to be Lucy.

"Mate! Mate! Let's go downstairs, Natsu and Gray said they have a bunch of games here!" Lucy smiled in a tux that looked eerily like one that Loke wore.

* * *

"Did you lend one of your suits to Lucy?" Aquarius asked.

"Of course not, I merely had Virgo _give_ her one of my suits for keeps, there's a difference" he chuckled, "Doesn't she look dashing?"

"Princess looks very nice, Erza will surely fall for her in such an outfit. Good job big brother" Virgo said, with a slight bow.

Aquarius looked back at Lucy sighing because even she had to admit Lucy pulled off the suit quite well.

* * *

Erza found she couldn't speak her, apparently the sight of seeing Lucy in a suit was quite shocking as well as...a turn on. _She must never know, Erza thought._

"Uh...ye-yes. That's right, there's a casino here isn't there? In that case I should change into something more suitable for the occasion," she said clearing her throat and requipping out of her armor into a dress with a long slit on the side, effectively making Lucy's jaw drop, "So how do I look?" she asked wearing a purple dress.

"You look amazing mate, but then again you always do!" Lucy said shooting finger guns, which Loke had taught her was an effective lady killer move, not realizing the effects of her compliment.

" _Damn it, how is she so dense, but so smooth!"_

Erza nodding to herself turned to Lucy who was holding her arm out nudging it towards the scarlet mage. Erza unsurprised by the gesture sighed and accepted it causing Lucy's face to light up.

"Don't look too into it" Erza said, rolling her eyes, and leading them to the casino.

" _She's into me" Lucy thought._

" _She's into you" Loke agreed._

* * *

"Dammit!" Natsu cursed, blowing on a small metal ball. "It landed on 17!"

"Sir!" An attendant cried. "Please stop that!"

"But it landed on 17!" Natsu protested. "You saw it! It landed on 17 but then it slipped and fell over the edge. What is with this game?"

"That's why it's called 'roulette', sir." The man deadpanned.

"Hah!" Gray snorted, over at a different game. "What a sore loser!"

A woman came up to him, smiling shyly. "Gray-sama."

"Hm?"

"Juvia tagged along." The girl bowed, blushing.

"What the..." Gray's eyes widened. "You're that crazy chick from the Element four!"

* * *

"I said I saw it!" Natsu shouted. "You cannot fool these eyes!"

"Aye!"

"Cool your jets, boy." A gruff voice ordered. "When you're in a place for adult entertainment, you should enjoy it in a dandy fashion."

Natsu and Happy stared at him in shock. "A square dude!"

"I prefer block but each their own" The completely angular man sat down on a chair spinning it. "Let me give ya some advice-

"Why?"

The block head man paused, not expecting the boy to speak back to him, instead deciding to ignore him, "Look, there are two paths a man can take. He can live in a dandy fashion..."

Once he stopped his chair he leapt off, bringing Natsu crashing to the floor. "Or he can just keel over and die." He finished, pulling out a gun and pushing the tip into Natsu's open mouth. "That's all."

"He's got a gun!"

"Run for it!"

"Hey!" Happy ran up to them. "What are you doing?"

* * *

"I heard Phantom Lord disbanded." Gray observed, having invited Juvia for a drink.

"Yes." The girl nodded. "Juvia is once again an independent mage."

Gray eyed the large golden necklace around her neck and sweat dropped. "And I take it you're set on joining Fairy Tail?"

"Yes!" The girl nodded vigorously. "Very much so!"

"You know, after what went down..." Gray sighed hesitantly. "I mean, I wouldn't mind, but I mean Lucy on the other hand..."

"Juvia will- wait what do you mean Lucy, is it not what your master says?"

"Eh, he'd probably be okay, but you see you kinda attacked a fifth rank wizard saint while she was hungry, and she wasn't exactly cool with that and honestly her power..." Gray trailed off when a large man stepped behind them and sent Juvia crashing to one side. "What the hell man, you looking for a fight?!"

"Gray Fullbuster?" The large man asked. "Tell me..."

"Where is Erza?" The man and Natsu's attacker spoke in unison.

* * *

Lucy grinned as she tossed her cards down, not really understanding how you play the game but enjoying being next to her mate.

"How in the hell did you get a royal flush again!" the dealer yelled.

"Are you sure you've never played this game before Lucy?" Erza asked rather skeptical of the slayer/celestial mage after witnessing her win 5 games in a row.

"Not this game, but this isn't too far off from a game I played when I was in Bosco with these mages I was bunking with".

"Why you were bunking with these mages?" Erza asked, arms crossed.

Lucy looked around feeling sweat come down her face.

" _Don't answer that Lucy!" Loke yelled._

A young man stepped up to the table right as Lucy was about to answer. "Dealer change." He told the other man, who thanked the gods he was leaving this table and left.

"I doubt changing dealers will change my luck with you playing" Erza drawled, momentarily forgetting her question to Lucy.

"If that's how you feel, why don't we try for a special game?" The dealer asked, shuffling the cards expertly. "Except we won't be betting with coins..."

"Ooooh, what are we playing with?" Lucy asked with stars in her eyes.

Erza's eyes widened when he tossed out five cards, spelling out 'D-E-A-T-H'. Lucy frowned looking at the man suspiciously.

"Let's bet... with our lives."

"What's D.E.A.T.H, Mate?"

The boy looked to Erza in confusion momentarily forgetting about the blonde, meanwhile Erza was banging her face into the table.

"D-e-a-t-h. Deeth, Dayth, no. Dath. No that's not it. Give me a second mate and weird guy" Lucy said.

The boy ignored Lucy in favor of looking to Erza grinning. "Sister."

Erza paled. "Sho?"

"So, you do remember me." Sho, a young man with blond hair, arranged in a wavy look with fringes hanging above his forehead and tan skin, answered.

"It has been a while, Sister." The newly identified Sho observed.

"You..." Erza sighed in relief. "You were safe?"

"Safe?"

"N-no..." Erza backtracked hastily. "I meant..."

"DEATH, he spelled death!" Lucy yelled, before getting hit on the back of the head with a bottle.

* * *

"Where is Erza?" The hulking man repeated himself.

Gray scowled. "Who the hell are you?"

The man took a step back when water swirled in front of Gray and reformed into Juvia. "Juvia will not let you harm Gray-sama." She announced. "Juvia shall be your opponent."

"Juvia..."

"Go and find Erza-san." Juvia instructed him. "She is clearly in danger."

The large man frowned and pressed two fingers to his temple. "I see... you've already found her? And... really? In that case, I shall tidy things up on my end."

Juvia and Gray's eyes widened when everything was plunged into total darkness.

"Lineage of Darkness Magic: Instant Darkness." The man intoned.

* * *

Natsu frowned when he heard a crash then a scream. "What was that?" He mumbled around the gun tip.

"Natsu!" Happy wailed, looking around wildly. "Where are you?"

"Nighty night, boy." The blockhead grinned, firing a shot.

* * *

"The lights are coming back on." Erza observed as the darkness lifted. She glanced to the dealer's desk, only to find it empty. "Sho?

"Over here, sister." The boy smirked, letting cards with people trapped inside fall from his hands.

"Are you surprised I know how to use magic too" He asked Erza.

"What are you..."

"Why the hell does everyone think it's okay to hit me on the head!" Lucy roared, a stream of flames shooting from her mouth, scaring the girl who hit her.

"Meow, how did that not knock you out!"

"I find it's better to just- not question it" Erza sighed before gasping at who had spoken.

"Milliana?" Erza gasped.

"Sup, Er-chan! Long time no see!"

Ignoring Erza for a moment she sent out an orange rope which suddenly coiled around Lucy who was distracted trying to rub the bump on her head away, tying her up tightly. The new arrival smirked, holding the blond with one hand and making a clawing motion with the other. "Super strong, right?"

"I mean, not really" Lucy mumbled, too lazy to break free, instead deciding to wait and see what was up with these people.

"You can use magic too?"

"You, and this rope is really strong, so your friend won't be getting away anytime soon".

"Why are you doing this" Erza demanded. "Lucy is my friend! Release her at once!"

"I thought we talked about this, we're mates" Lucy corrected.

"Meow?" Milliana pouted. "Mate?"

"Would you mind?" Erza gestured to Lucy.

Confused Milliana nodded to her old friend, cringing once she saw the blonde crumple from a punch to the gut.

"I love you too mate" Lucy groaned.

"Hmm, well weren't we your friends once, sister?" Sho asked.

Lucy smiled, _"Mates friends! We can invite them to our wedding!"_

"That is..." Sho scowled accusingly. "Until you betrayed us, of course!"

Erza grit her teeth helplessly.

" _Maybe not."_

"Don't think too badly of her, Sho..." Blocks began to gather in one spot. "Dandy men know how to keep their cool." The angular man announced, materializing. "You turned out to be quite the looker."

"Right, Erza's smokin'!" Lucy yelled from her spot on the ground not feeling the urge to get up yet.

"We are literally being threatened, can you not for five seconds Lucy" Erza hissed, her face dropping when she recognized the person who had spoken "Wait, Wally?"

"Compared to Mad Dog Wally from the old days, I'm much more well-rounded now." Wally muttered.

Lucy snorted. "Well-rounded, it's funny cause he's not. Get it Mate."

"They smashed a bottle on your head and tied you up yet you're laughing at their jokes, truly you're one of a kind Lucy" Erza sighed.

"Hello Erza." The large man who appeared next to Wally. "Long time no sees."

"Simon?"

* * *

"Hmm, these people claim to know my mate." Lucy said aloud, "Therefore I must get to know these people".

"You cat girl!" Lucy yelled.

"Meow? Yeah" the girl who smashed a bottle on Lucy's head answered.

"Who are you to my mate, and why does the dealer call her sister?" Lucy said still tied up.

"He's not really my brother." Erza frowned answering for Milliana. "These are my former friends from before I joined Fairy Tail."

"We came to bring you back." Sho declared. "Let's go back, sis."

"Then again, if you insist on being difficult..." Wally leveled his gun at Lucy, who looked back at him her eyebrow raised.

"Stop it!" Erza begged. "Please stop, I know she's a bit dopey, but she doesn't deserve this!"

His arm vanished, materializing behind Erza and firing at her back. Lucy's face dropped once she saw her mate fall to the ground, the sound of glass shattering around her as she saw the one called Simon pick her up and toss her over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about a thing, it's just my sleep bullet." Wally explained, while Simon easily held the girl up. "Target acquired. Fall back."

"You shot my mate" Lucy whispered, still in shock at what she witnessed.

Milliana grinned and wagged her finger, tightening the ropes around the blonde, so she couldn't escape. "Don't worry about Er-chan we'll take-

"YOU SHOT MY MATE!" Lucy screamed as she pulled apart Milliana's ropes her flames running wild.

The group of four looked at the blonde in shock. "Holy crap, she broke through your rope Milly!"

"She's strong I can sense her power, too strong even for us four, we must fall back" Simon said.

"How the hell do we do that! Girl's tough!" Wally yelled, dodging a flaming fist heading his way.

"Hellfire fist!"

The four barely dodged a flaming kick heading towards them, shock written on their face at the amount of power that was coming off the girl.

"Where the hell was this strength earlier when I tied her up!" Milliana yelled.

"Everyone head to the exit, I have a plan!" Simon yelled.

While the others hesitated at first, once they saw Lucy heading towards them with another flaming fist, they decided to trust their friend and ran to the exit quickly.

"Dark Moment!" In an instance the entire room went dark.

CRASH!

A few seconds later the lights came back on showing Lucy's head stuck in a wall struggling to get out.

"Swear to Luce...when I get out…gonna kill them all" Lucy growled finally getting unstuck.

Shaking her head to rid herself of any dizziness, she decided to look for her other teammates. "First up Gray" she said sniffing the air for his icy scent. Once she pinpointed his whereabouts, she quickly ran towards him only to find a Graycicle, "pfft a Graycicle, Mate would like that one. Hang on a sec", sniffing the Graycicle, Lucy looks around confused, "where's the real Gray".

"Impressive." A blob of water observed as it reformed into Juvia. "You really are skilled."

"Hey! You're that jerk who put me in that "unbreakable" water bubble" Lucy growled. "What are you doing here, gonna kidnap me again" she taunted.

"Err, no. Juvia merely wanted to help." She announced, solidifying completely and revealing a soaked Gray underneath her. "Juvia turned her body into a Water Lock to protect Gray-sama."

"Ew, Gray you were inside that chick." Lucy pointed out.

"Shut up I know!"

Juvia began to grin evilly "Are you jealous he was inside of Juvia and not you?"

Gray facepalmed at the water mage obliviousness.

"I am currently trying to court Erza Scarlet as per mating ritual, so no I'm not."

"Hmm, sure thing love rival."

"Uh, oh" Gray thought.

"Love Rival? Lucy said confused. "Look weirdo my heart belongs to Erza Scarlet, and unless you're trying to go after her too, then we are not love rivals, got it water girl" Lucy said flippantly.

"How convenient." Juvia observed. "You claim to be no threat to Juvia, and yet the one you are supposedly involved with is conveniently not here to back up your claim. Juvia does not trust you!"

"No, she's right." Gray cut in. "Lucy's crazy for Erza, like will do whatever she says if it means getting her to accept her claim, crazy".

Lucy growled, "Enough of this love rival crap. Where's Natsu?"

As if on cue, a huge roar and burst of flame erupted upwards from a nearby ruined game machine.

"Found him." Gray sweat dropped.

"What sane person would shoot someone in the mouth?" Natsu grumbled, checking his jaw. "Man, that hurt. That could have done some real damage!"

Gray sweat dropped. "I think that would kill anyone who wasn't a freak like you."

"Man, you're lucky they missed your head!" Lucy yelled.

Glancing at Lucy then saying, "I mean anyone who wasn't a freak like you or Lucy".

"Juvia agrees."

"That blocky bastard..." Natsu growled furiously, speeding off. "Don't think you can get away!"

"After him!" Gray yelled. "His nose will lead us to them!"

"I mean my nose can lead us too, but whatever let's follow Natsu" Lucy grumbled, sadly.

* * *

"Well damn, that was a close one" Wally said wiping the sweat off his face.

"You said it". Milliana frowned.

"Oh, by the way." Wally said holding out Happy to Milliana. "I scored something for you."

"Aah! A kitty of my very own! He's such a cutie wootie!"

"That's enough!" Simon boomed loudly. "Tie Erza up."

With that, the five plus Happy continued on their way to their destination with Erza, leaving team Natsu behind.

* * *

At the Tower of Heaven, in the throne room in the very top. Jellal Fernandes sat in a throne, another robed man standing at the foot.

"Master Jellal, we've received word that the mission to retrieve Erza has been completed. They are returning as we speak."

The cloaked man smirked and continued resting his head upon his hand.

"I must ask, what are we to gain by capturing that traitor? Disposing of her would have been easy work for someone of your power."

"A rather pedestrian approach to solving the problem, in my opinion."

"Yes, Sir."

"However, with the Tower of Heaven now complete allowing her to live would prove to be a thorny issue indeed. So, the time has come, Erza Scarlett is the perfect sacrifice to ensure my dreams are made flesh."

* * *

Meanwhile at the magic council

"How did you find this out?" Org demanded shocked.

"About a decade ago construction began on the R-System, a system designed by a cult of black magic users."

"But we had all seven of those towers destroyed! There shouldn't even be any ruins left," Michello declared.

A large orb appeared in the middle of the chamber showing everyone on the Council the Tower.

"Evidently there was an eighth tower that we missed in the water near Caelum." Belno stated.

"How did we miss it? Is the structure close to completion?" Org inquired pressing for details.

"I'm afraid I don't know, our team mysteriously vanished after sending these images." Belno replied clueless.

"Why would they revive the R-System after all this time?" Michello wondered.

"The Tower of Heaven, it's not the R-System, it's the Tower of Heaven to be clear." Siegrain corrected.

"It makes no difference what it's called, it utilizes forbidden magic," Org growled with annoyance. "There would be chaos if word got out that it even existed."

"We'll have to find a way to subdue them, what about the military?" Belno suggested.

"That's not an option," Leiji said dismissing the suggestion.

"What do you mean?"

"We'd be putting out soldiers in danger because we don't know who we're dealing with." he explained. "According to our latest intelligence the black magic cult thought to be responsible for the R-System is no longer occupying the tower."

"They're not?" Michello said. "Just who is then?"

"It's a group of wizards, apparently lead by a man named Jellal," Leiji replied.

"Jellal?"

"Isn't that the name of your twin brother, Siegrain?" Org asked.

"Yes, that would be him." The blue haired man sighed.

* * *

They had taken a boat once catching up to Natsu and were following Natsu's and Lucy's nose to the people who had taken Erza.

Gray looked around at the sea, wondering where the hell they were given that any which way he looked seemed never-ending. "I can't even tell where we are right now."

"Juvia does not know either, we were supposed to be following Salamanders and Lucy's nose."

"Uuugh." Lucy and Natsu let their head fall over the side of the boat.

"Uuugh..."

"You two are useless damn it. We're supposed to be relying on your noses", Gray scowled, irritated. "Get a hold of yourself!" Gray yelled once seeing the slayers succumb to motion sickness again.

Juvia glared at Natsu and Lucy. "How dare you disappoint Juvia's beloved Gray-sama".

" I..mrmmph... don't see you...doing anything...mrmhp...water girl" Lucy growled before throwing up over the side of the boat.

"Dammit!" Gray cursed. "I can't believe they took Erza and Happy right from under our noses! How pathetic!"

"An accurate assessment." Juvia observed. "To think that a mage as strong as Erza lost..."

"Talk bad about my mate again, see what happens, water girl" Lucy moaned.

"There's no way she was beaten!" Gray's face darkened as he glared at Juvia angrily. "You don't know the first thing about Erza!"

The girl shrank back. "Please forgive Juvia!"

"My mate... she mentioned something about blockhead, blondie and cat girl..." huffing from exertion, Lucy spoke again, "being her former friends..."

In that moment after speaking, Natsu and herself jumped up looking to each other, "Did you- "

"Yeah I did" Lucy said.

"What the hell guys what are you talking about?" Gray asked.

Natsu turned around looking to Gray, and Juvia "We just got a really weird feeling."

Lucy slowly worked up the strength to look up at the sky and saw the birds falling into the ocean, "Do you guys see that?"

"Yeah…" Natsu said then looked down at the ocean and noticed the fish weren't moving.

"Not the fish too." Gray gasped as fish were indeed floating belly up beside the birds.

"I've never seen anything like this." Juvia commented.

"Whoa, that's wreckage from a Fiore Naval Ship." Gray said looking at the flag of destroyed ship floating in the water amongst the debris.

"Hey… what's that?" Natsu asked, pointing farther ahead of them at a large tower that stretched high into the sky.

"I'm guessing that's where they've taken my mate." Lucy commented.

"I'll protect us; my Water Dome will keep us from being seen." Juvia said creating a dome of water to camouflage them as they approached.

"Whoa...cool" Lucy marveled at the water bubble warping around them as they go closer towards the tower.

* * *

Erza slowly awakened to find herself tied to a wooden column. "Where is this?"

"We're on a ship, sister." Sho explained, climbing down the stairs.

"A ship?"

"That's right." Sho nodded. "A ship headed straight for the Tower of Heaven."

"Is that right..." Erza sighed. "Can you untie me? I promise not to fight anymore."

"Sorry, sister." Sho frowned. "I can't do that. You are a traitor, after all."

"It's no use." He added, watching her struggle. "Milliana's ropes have the power to seal magic. Not even you will be able to escape them, sister."

"I understand..." Erza lowered her head. "At least let me put on my armor. I'm afraid of going back to that tower... the armor is what makes me feel safe..."

"But your current clothes are lovely, sister." Sho observed, hugging her. "I didn't want this to happen! I wanted to see you again so much..."

"Why did you do it, sister?" He shouted suddenly. "Why did you betray Jellal?"

Erza frowned.

* * *

Their eyes widened when a narrow structure appeared on the horizon.

Erza looked around the building in shock. "It really has been finished..."

"Well, it has been eight years." Sho shrugged. "We were the ones who got to finish it."

"Move." Simon ordered, pushing Erza forward.

"Eight years..." The redhead muttered. "You guys have all changed..."

"The ceremony will be tomorrow at midday." Sho informed Erza, once the others finished securing her ropes and left. "Until then, you will stay here."

Erza scowled. The ceremony? Does that mean they're going to try and activate the R-system?

"No hard feelings, right?" Sho smiled. "You're the traitor, you dug your own grave here, sister. Jellal is angry at you... he's decided to make you the sacrifice for the ceremony."

"We won't ever be able to see sister again." Sho sighed. "But it's all for the sake of reaching 'heaven'." He frowned when he noticed her shiver. "Are you scared? Does the thought of being the sacrifice terrify you? Or maybe... maybe you are just feeling nostalgic..."

"I'm sorry that happened to you." Sho sighed. "Since I was the one who came up with the idea and all. But... I was too afraid to say anything. All I could think of was not getting hurt..."

"I don't care about that." Erza told him. "What I'm interested in is if you truly understand the risk in using the R-system to resurrect people?"

"Wow, I'm surprised you figured out what the 'R' means." Sho observed.

"Revive System." Erza scowled. "In exchange for a living sacrifice, a dead person can be returned to life. It's a forbidden unnatural magic."

"From the beginning, magic has been removed from nature." Sho countered. "All magic will eventually destroy what makes us human."

"You sound just like a member of that cult." Erza noticed.

"Those guys only saw the R-system as a basic way to restore souls." Sho responded.

"They lacked Jellal's foresight... his plan is to guide us to Heaven."

"Heaven?"

"Once Jellal resurrects the one he spoke of, the world will be reborn!" Sho cackled. "And we shall become its' rulers!"

Erza grit her teeth as madness seemed to overcome Sho. "The remnants of those who stole our freedom …friends of sister that betrayed us... the ignorant people living their lives in peace... those fools on the Magic Council, your mate... we'll inflict fear and sadness on all of them! And then we'll proceed to rob them of their freedom! We will become the masters of the world!"

He abruptly fell silent when Erza smashed a knee into his jaw viciously and knocked him out. Pulling at her binds, she quickly bit through them and rushed out of her cell, leaving an unconscious boy behind.

"I draw the line at hurting that adorable idiot, Sho." She sneered, as she requipped into her usual armor. "I won't forgive you for what you've done to Sho, Jellal. It's time I end this!"

* * *

Happy blinked, waking up... and his jaw dropped.

"Cats!" He howled, looking around the room wildly. "There's cats everywhere! What is this place? Natsu! Where are you?"

"Meow?" Milliana suddenly squatted down next to him. "How are you?"

"How are you?" Happy repeated incredulously.

"Meow!" The girl jumped up, ecstatic. "Talking kitty!"

"You have to sound cooler, lass." Wally leaned against the door frame. "It's not a talking cat. It's a cat that can talk."

Happy sweat dropped. "What's the difference?"

"Hey!" He yelled up at Wally. "Where is this place? What happened to Natsu?"

Wally grinned. "He's kissing the asphalt, cat."

Happy frowned as he recalled Natsu get shot in the mouth. That wouldn't kill him...

"Wally! Milliana!" Simon rushed into the room. "Erza escaped!"

Milliana squealed. "That brings back memories!"

"The lass is dandy." Wally observed. "But there is no way she can escape from this tower."

"She's not running away." Simon corrected him. "She's going after Jellal."

Wally and Milliana's eyes widened and all three of them ran out of the room.

* * *

"Ahahaha!" Jellal threw his head back and laughed.

"Master Jellal?"

"Erza's a fine woman." Jellal told the long-haired man watching him. "She truly is fascinating. I wonder... will I win, or will Erza win?"

"Let's enjoy it." He smirked. "Combining life and death, the past and the future... a game where the prize is heaven."

* * *

"I can't take it." Natsu complained as the rocking of the boat exasperated his motion sickness.

"Let's swim from here" Lucy groaned.

"That's it next time we take them anywhere we're knocking you out first." Gray stated with annoyance, "Well at least Natsu, not sure I could even land a hit on you" Gray grumbled.

* * *

Erza scowled, barreling through a group of Jellal's minions and slamming a random one against a wall. "Where is Jellal? Tell me!"

* * *

Once the group made it to close to the tower, they went off to see if there were any openings not being guarded.

"That is a lot of guards." Gray sighed, watching the heavily protected stairway.

"Who cares?" Natsu lit his fist up preparing himself to fight. "Let's just fight them all, we can take them on no problem!"

"They have my mate and Happy!" Lucy admonished him. "If the people here are alerted to us being here then they will most likely be in danger, or worst killed."

"Man, the tower is so close now." Gray sighed. "If we get found out here, we won't stand a chance."

A few seconds after Gray had announced that Juvia swam up to them with some good news. "Juvia has found an underwater entrance to the basement level, there are no guards from what I could see."

"Seriously?" Gray exclaimed. "Good job!"

"Did you hear that, Lucy?" Juvia grinned. "He praised me and not you."

Lucy ignored the rain woman and instead went towards Natsu to see if he had any food on him.

"It's a journey that will last about ten minutes." Juvia told them once she saw she was not going to get a response from the blonde. "You won't have a problem holding your breath that long, right?"

"Ten minutes is like a second for me!" Natsu yelled.

"Luce once held me under water for lung endurance training such as this…although looking back now I think he was just being a jerk" she chuckled.

"Err, alright then."

Juvia created a globe of water in her hand. "Please use these." She requested. "They use water to surround your head with oxygen, letting you breathe underwater without a problem."

"Sweet!" Natsu stuck his on. "By the way, who are you again?"

"Juvia. Uh, may I ask where Lucy went?"

"God damn it she just dived in, after her!" Gray yelled, diving into the water after the blonde. Natsu and Juvia following.

* * *

"Juvia is impressed." The ex-Phantom mage remarked. "She did not believe you could do what you said you could" she sweat dropped.

"I never lie about what Lucifer taught me." Lucy said glaring at the water mage who doubted her skills. "Now then let's look for my mate and Happy in this weird tower."

"Who the hell are you guys?" A guard shouted, watching them with a troop of men behind him.

"We got this far..." Gray muttered. "Guess we're going to have to fight now."

"Who cares I'm all fired up!"

Lucy gave an evil smirk. "No prob!" Lucy then proceeded to swing two keys bringing Loke and Virgo out.

"Who are we?" Natsu smashed a flaming fist into the wooden construct, causing it to collapse underneath the guards. "We're Fairy Tail, you morons!"

"Juvia shall not let you touch a hair on her beloved Gray! Juvia proclaimed angrily. "Water Slicer!"

"Ice Make: Hammer!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Demon Hellfire Fist!"

"Regulus Impact!"

"Punishment time"

Natsu looked up from the stack of beaten guards. "Hey, look. Some kinda door just opened up there!"

Gray frowned. "I think we're being invited to come up."

"Let's not be rude and ignore them then", Lucy said grinning.

* * *

"Master Jellal, what are you thinking?" The man demanded. "You let the intruders enter just like that?"

"I told you, this is a game." Jellal told him calmly. "All it means is that they've cleared a level. Things are getting interesting..."

"But if we don't proceed with the ceremony soon, the Council will figure out what we're doing!" The man countered.

"Vivaldus..." Jellal smirked. "Are you still worried about that?" His eyes lit up. "We won't be stopped!"

* * *

"Where are you, you blockhead bastard?" Natsu yelled as soon as they got into the building.

"Get out here you damned metal jawed giant, dumb cat girl, and card dealer!" Lucy yelled.

Gray slapped his face. "Shut up you two! Do you want everyone to find us before we even get a chance to get Erza and Happy! We could only go wild earlier because we were underground. Now that we're in the tower, we'll need stealth."

"What's more, this door was opened from the inside." Juvia observed, studying the hatch they climbed through. "It's being remotely operated by magic, which means the enemy is aware of your actions."

"Hmm, you're right, Natsu enter Ninja mode" Lucy said covering her face with a cloak, while lighting herself on fire so she could dry her clothes.

"Hey, Gray are you okay with wet clothes, I mean I know Juvia is cause she's a water girl, but uh".

"Already on it." Gray shrugged, stepping next to Natsu, who had also lit himself on fire.

"Smart." Lucy grinned, shooting a thumbs up to Natsu.

"There they are!" A group of guards ran into the room. "It's the intruders!"

Natsu and Gray scowled and slipped into fighting stances. Lucy quickly packed away the celestial food Virgo had left her before she left for later. The guards, however, didn't even get close before Erza sliced through the entire mob.

"Erza!"

"Mate!"

"She's quite amazing."

Erza's eyes widened when she noticed them "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, you're my mate so I'm obligated to save you, also I'm very angry someone would even think I'd be okay with you being kidnapped" Lucy said rather calmly.

Natsu on the other hand all but growled to his friend "We'd disgrace Fairy Tail if we just backed off after what those creeps did! Besides, I totally owe that blockhead for shooting me in the mouth earlier!"

Erza glanced at Juvia.

"Oh, I... um..." Juvia stammered. "Juvia is here because... well..."

"She's just following Gray" Lucy shrugged.

"Go back." Erza commanded them, looking away. "You guys shouldn't be here."

"If you think I'm leaving this place without you, and without getting payback, then obviously you're the dumb one in our relationship mate." Lucy observed. "These people kidnapped you and Happy. There's no way I'm leaving without either of you, got that?"

Erza smiled sadly. "First off, not in a relationship. Second, this is one fight you can't beat your way out of, Ishgar Demon." Lucy rolled her eyes at her comment.

Gray sighed when Natsu's patience finally wore thin and he ran off to search for Happy.

"That idiot..." He sighed. "Running off like that."

"I won't say I didn't expect that" Lucy chuckled, going to run after him, only to be stopped by a sword.

"I still want you to leave." Erza held out a sword to stop them. "Happy will be safe with Milliana, she loves cats too much to hurt him. I'll take care of Natsu and Happy and bring them back safely. You guys just get out of here."

Lucy glared at the sword angrily when she saw Erza wasn't moving. Erza, Gray and even Juvia couldn't help but gasp when Lucy grabbed Erza's sword clutching it tightly to the point her palm began bleeding.

"I'm not leaving without you Erza Scarlet, so put the sword away and let Gray and I help you or so help me Luce" Lucy growled pulling the sword from Erza's weakened grip.

"Ye-yeah, ahem, we're already involved anyway." Gray backed Lucy up. "You saw how much Natsu wants to act."

Erza stayed silent, still in shock by Lucy's action.

"Mate." Lucy muttered softly catching Erza's attention, uncaring of the gash on her palm now. "Please. Tell us what is going on here. I, no, we want to help you, but you're not letting us...it's a drag."

"Just go." Erza repeated herself.

Lucy grit her teeth and looked away, clenching her fists the blood flowing from her left hand going unnoticed to her.

"This isn't like you at all, Erza." Gray observed. "Why can't you stop moping and say 'follow me' like you usually order us to do? We'll help you out. Even you're allowed to be scared sometimes, you know."

Erza turned towards them and they caught a glimpse of a teary eye before she wiped it.

"Sorry..." She muttered. "In this fight, whether I win or lose... I'm staring death in the face."

Lucy growled at those words before pulling Erza angrily towards her by the collar of her armor. "What did you say?"

"This is unavoidable..." Erza smiled sadly looking away from the blonde. "So, before that happens, I'll tell you everything I know, you at least deserve that."

"The name of this place is the 'Tower of Heaven'." Erza started. "Otherwise known as the R-system. More than a decade ago, a cult dedicated to black magic tried to build a tower where magic could be gathered to bring the dead back to life. This wasn't approved by the government or the Magic Council, so they had to gather people from nearby countries and use them as slaves. I was one of those." Erza sighed. "That's when I first met Jellal..."

"Anyone who dared to resist the cult or tried to escape the tower would mysteriously disappear. We never had any peace of mind, and even though we knew we wouldn't be together long, we still bonded and became friends in the tower." She continued.

She remembered the time he came to rescue her when the guards took her away and how when he saw she lost her left eye he got mad.

"Soon after we took a stand for our freedom, and we hoped to save our dear friend Jellal who was punished in my place. He was like the leader of our group back then, he had a strong sense of justice that I truly admired," she looked back at them, "However…something happened to him it's almost as if he became an entirely different person. There's only one way I would describe Jellal's new persona…pure unadulterated evil."

* * *

 _Erza had just entered the room holding Jellal hoping to free him. Once she had gotten Jellal to speak with her she understood where the killing intent she first felt upon entering the room was coming from._

 _"I demand you never tell anyone of this place. If the government found out about The Tower of Heaven I'd be in serious trouble," he brought her towards him, "If word were to get out then I'd have no choice, but to destroy the tower and everyone inside it. You're forbidden from ever returning here again, set one foot on here on this land, and I'll kill your friends."_

 _He smirked, "I figured Sho would be the first to go."_

 _"No…you wouldn't…" she said._

 _"One false move and your friends will die! I'll enjoy true freedom while you suffer burdened by your guilt!" he laughed sending her far away from the tower._

 _Erza washed up on shore and started crying, "No…NO!" she cried._

* * *

Back at their meeting hall the Magic Council was in disarray over the knowledge that the R System still existed and were trying to figure out what to do about it.

"So, what are we going to do to stop Jellal!"

"We need to gather more information, and then plan!"

"Dispatch the Ishgar Demon!"

"That last one isn't a bad idea" a few of the counselor members began to murmur.

"You ignorant fools!" Seigrain yelled with annoyance.

"Siegrain!"

"How dare you."

"Only fools would send in a wizard and risk their lives against something as strong as this, I'm telling you it's far too dangerous." Siegrain stated.

"Siegrain. Do you even know who the Ishgar Demon is and what she's done?" Org asked sternly looking down on the wizard.

"Well. No, I've only just heard of her, but this is a precarious situation." Siegrain said crossing his arms. "If we want to stop him, we will have to completely destroy the Tower of Heaven, and there is only one way to do that… Etherion."

"Are you insane?" Org yelled.

"That's cross dimensional destruction magic!" Michello cried.

"We can't!" Belno objected with horror.

"Do you know how much devastation it would cause? That weapon has the ability to obliterate an entire nation."

"Etherion is an absolute last choice, it is more dangerous than the R-System itself!"

"The Ishgar Demon could destroy the tower without such hazards!" the same member yelled.

"Just hear me out!" Siegrain yelled cutting across them. "The satellite square can pinpoint a target anywhere in the region. If we focus it directly on the tower, we can cause less collateral damage and destroy the structure."

"I vote to fire." Ultear said raising her hand, agreeing with Siegrain.

"Not you too, have you gone mad?" Org asked despairingly.

"Three more in favor will give us the majority, but we can't let deliberations delay us. Time is of the essence! I urge you to vote with me, we cannot allow Jellal to activate the Tower of Heaven!"

"But along with destroying the Tower, an Etherion blast will no doubt kill your brother." Org stated softly.

"I realize that… however, it's a sacrifice that must be made."

* * *

Lucy, Gray, and Juvia couldn't believe what they had just heard. To think she had gone through all that and had been forced to carry such a heavy burden.

"I have to fight Jellal…" she said a single tear falling from her eye, "…I have no choice…I have to do it…"

Lucy clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly. It physically hurt her seeing her mate in such pain and her unable to do anything.

"No mate you don't have to do anything…I already told you I'll always protect you and I plan on keeping that promise" Lucy mumbled, pushing their foreheads together, Erza for once appreciating the gesture.

"I don't know maybe it's just me…but for some reason the name Zeref sounds familiar." Gray said.

Lucy let go of Erza to answer Gray, "That's not surprising, Zeref is a name that's feared and hailed all over Earthland".

Erza wiped the tear from her eye, "Indeed, Zeref was the legendary Black Wizard."

Lucy nodded, "Yup, Luce told me all about this guy. The Black Wizard Zeref created demons from his book called The Book of Zeref. Lullaby and Deliora are part of that. There's tons more from what Luce told me."

Gray's eyes widened.

"If this wizard is as evil as you say then why would Jellal want to resurrect him?" Juvia questioned.

Erza turned to them; "I don't understand his motives either, however my old friend Sho said something to me about Zeref getting them to heaven. And when that happens the world will be reborn, and they'll become its rulers."

Lucy rubbed her head furiously confused while Virgo came out to wrap her masters palm, which Aquarius promised to scold her for later, "But mate, if these people are your friends then why are they accusing you of betraying you? Isn't Jellal the enemy?" Lucy asked.

"It's not their fault. I'm sure he fed them all sorts of lies about me once I left," she looked down sadly, "That doesn't change the fact that I abandoned them so long ago...in the end…I guess you could say I did betray-."

"Whack"

Gray, and Juvia stood stock still in shock at the fact Lucy, dopey looking always smiling at Erza, Lucy just slapped Erza Scarlet, her mate.

"If you really think you betrayed your friends in any way then you're stupider than me Scarlet, and perhaps not worthy of being my mate afterall."

Gray and Juvia gasped at Lucy's declaration, even Erza was wide eyed. Lucy never spoke so harshly to her, to hear such words come out of the usually loving girl was a surprise.

"You did what you thought would keep your kin safe since you had no other choice. It was either leave or get them killed going back." Lucy growled, trying to keep herself calm.

Gray nodded in agreement, "That's right."

"None of that matters anymore, if I can defeat Jellal it'll be over. Leave it to me, okay?" Erza said.

Lucy went up to Erza grabbing the collar of her armor slamming their foreheads together, not at all being the gentle lover she usually is, "Listen to me and listen to me good. If you think I'm gonna sit by and let you take care of this jello guy alone you're an idiot because mates stick together, they fight together. They. Do. Not. Abandon Each other. Understand."

Erza simply nodded dumbfounded at Lucy's determination of sticking by her side.

"Let me hear you say it!" Lucy yelled.

"They stick together" Erza whispered, shocked at how Lucy was currently acting.

Gray looked at Erza confused on why she was acting so weird, _why do I get the feeling she's hiding something?_ The thought back to what she said earlier.

 _Why would she tell us she's staring death in the face?_

Gray finally zoned back in when he heard more yelling.

"Damn its Lucy enough with the mate stuff, even if you try you can't help me!" Erza yelled back at the slayer when she finally got over her shock, "When will you understand this!"

"When you understand I'll never give up trying to be your mate! So, go at this alone Erza, I dare ya, see what happens!" Lucy yelled.

"Sister…"

They all turned and saw it was Sho that appeared before them and he didn't look happy, "That's not true…why? Why are you lying to them?"

"Sho…" Erza said.

"You think by making yourself the martyr, where you abandon us to actually keep us safe, you'll get sympathy from your friends? Tell them the truth that's not how it happened, and you know it!" he yelled.

"You blew up the boats we were going to use to escape and then you left on your own! We would have ended up in the bottom of the sea if it hadn't been for Jellal! He saved us and warned us not to trust wizards like you who hadn't learned to use their magic properly! He said you had become drunk with magical power and you didn't want anything to do with your past, or the people you left behind!" he yelled.

Erza said nothing, looking down ashamed at herself. This did not go unnoticed by the others, especially Lucy who stepped in front of Erza in a protective stance.

"Did you ever think…that maybe he might be lying?" Gray frowned.

Lucy glared at him, "Don't you dare talk about my mate like that. If you were truly her kin, then you would know she wouldn't do anything as horrible as you've described!"

"Please, you only think you know her…but you don't know her like I do. You weren't there back then…you don't know anything about us…after you left Jellal's words were my only salvation…and that's why I spent all these years working to finish the tower for him," he said, tears in his eyes, "And now you're telling me it was all a lie…you really expect me to believe everything she said!"

"Kinda" Lucy said with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her head. Gray and Juvia deadpanning at the blonde.

"That's right," another voice appeared, it was a man wearing a cloth over his head wearing a metal jaw and strange clothing.

Gray glared at him, "Why you!" Juvia stuck her arm out stopping him.

"I'm gonna kill you for taking my mate!" Lucy yelled, going to lunge at the man before getting slammed to the ground by Erza stopping her ascendant.

"You win this time" Lucy groaned, "You metal jawed giant."

"Wait! He doesn't pose a threat my dear." Juvia told him, "He never meant you any harm, at the resort he knew he was attacking your ice decoy."

"But how?" Gray asked.

"Since he cast the darkness spell it had no effect on him." she explained, "I came along in the hopes of discovering why he had chosen to spare you."

"I would expect no less from one of Phantom's Element four." The man complimented.

"I don't understand." Sho said.

"I had to fool you and the others into thinking I killed them, but I hoped our attack would lead them here." The man explained.

"Is everyone just lying to me then." Sho looked away, "I mean...How could you do that to me Simon?"

The man put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, but Jellal had you under his spell and I couldn't convince you otherwise, so I played along until the time was right."

"So, you knew all along." Erza said.

The man turned to her and smiled, "I've always believed in you Erza, and there's nothing that can change that."

Erza smiled at him.

He grabbed her hand gently unaware of the demon slayer slowly rising behind him; "I mean those words from the bottom of my heart." He brought her in for a hug and she accepted.

"Simon…" Erza murmured.

Lucy pulled the man away by his sash, "Listen up buddy, this is my mate so back off."

"Seriously Lucy!" Erza yelled, hitting the girl on the head again.

"Worth it." Lucy said with a hand up in the air.

Happy, Juvia, and Gray chuckled at the blonde's antics towards Erza.

"I never knew…I mean I just blindly followed him all these years…doubting you…because you left me all alone…you have no idea how much that hurt…" Sho cried, slamming his fist into the ground, "I don't know what to do! I don't even know which one of you I should believe in anymore!"

Erza went to approach him, but a blonde blur beat her too it.

"Look, Simon- "

"I'm Sho"

"Semantles. As I was saying I've learned the best motto to go by is Live and learn" Lucy said patting the boys back, "Least that's what Luce always said when I messed up".

Sho looked to Lucy confused, until Erza pushed her away and approached him crouching down, "I know what you're thinking, but she means well" looking to Lucy who decided laying on the ground was the best course of action while waiting for the two to talk it out.

Taking a deep breath, she began to speak again, "I know it must be difficult to take all of this in all at once, but there's something you should know though. As long as it's been…I've never once forgotten about any of you."

He hugged her making her get down on her knees, but she merely hugged him back, "I'm sorry that I couldn't stand up to him, but I was so weak back then…please forgive me."

"Now you're stronger and ready to face him, isn't that right?" Simon asked.

Erza nodded, ignoring the growl behind her and the voices struggling to hold her back.

"I've waited all these years for this moment, a group of powerful wizards would gather here." He said.

"Ad do you have a plan, or did you just think running in with all of us would work?" Lucy asked, surprisingly level headed.

"Well, I figured with the magic power each of us held we would be able to take down Jellal, if we worked together that is" Simon said.

"Hmm, if Luce was here, he'd said that's a shit plan, but whatever I got nothing better so let's go" Lucy said shrugging.

They all sweat dropped at the blonde's blunt words, before nodding.

Erza stood up a look of determination in her face.

"But first…we must keep Salamander and Wally from clashing." He said.

Lucy groaned, "Do we have to?"

"Yes!" Erza, Simon and the others yelled.

"What a drag. Fine whatever let's go."

* * *

Half of Team Natsu, Simon and Sho were currently running down the hall inside the tower with Simon acting as their lead.

Simon had two fingers pressed to his head, "Something's interfering with my communication with Wally and Milliana! I can't even tell where they are now!"

"Why are we looking for those two?" Lucy questioned.

"Because we need to stop them from fighting Natsu!" Erza yelled.

Erza stopped running and looked at Sho who looked pale, "Is something the matter Sho?"

He closed his eyes; "I'm fine," opening them he looked at her, "Everything's fine now that you're here."

She smiled sadly at him.

* * *

At the Magic Council

"Using the Etherion would mean complete annihilation of everyone inside that tower!" The chairman countered.

"It's like Siegrain says." The hooded man observed. "We've gotten this far on the sacrifices of others. That's also evident in the history of the magic world that exists now."

"But if we attack Caelum's lands, it will leave a permanent stain in history!"

"It cannot be helped." The woman grits her teeth. "That's part of the sacrifice we'll have to make."

"One cannot return from the dead." A man mused. "Those kids must understand the value of life. I vote for the use of Etherion."

Siegrain nodded. "We just need one more!"

* * *

"I guess he's alright, since he didn't actually try to kill us and seems to know what he's doing." Gray frowned. "But are you sure we can trust the Simon dude, Juvia?"

"I do not plan to make excuses." Simon responded, having heard him. "I knew you weren't the sort of mages who would get defeated so easily. I had faith all of you would survive."

Simon then looked at Lucy who seemed to be ogling Erza from behind, "If I may ask who is the blonde one, she's quite powerful."

Gray chuckled before answering, "That's Lucy Heartfilia, a.k.a the Ishgar Demon and 5th wizard Saint of Ishgar."

Once Gray finished telling Simon who Lucy was, he couldn't help belting out laughing at the man's face dropping.

"Is she that strong to be a wizard saint?"

Gray scoffed. "Honestly, I've only ever seen her probably use about half, no like a quarter of her strength so yeah she's that strong. Oh, and before I forget I saw the way you were looking at Erza, and man let me just say now back off now, otherwise you're in for the beat down of a lifetime."

"Wh-what why?" The man couldn't help but sputter.

"Aside from her being a celestial mage, Lucy's a demon slayer, alright. And she, like Natsu, has a mate a lifetime partner they call it. That mate just so happens to be the mage she's tryna get to carry her because she's tired of running."

Just as Gray said that Simon looked to see who he was referring to, only to see Lucy begging Erza to carry her because she was tired, watching as Erza slammed her to the ground and five seconds later the blonde girl popped right back up rubbing her head with a dopey smile following Erza again.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"But I mean Erza doesn't seem to be a very willing participant, are you sure she wants to be with Lucy?" Simon asked hoping he still had a chance.

Gray shook his head feeling bad for the guy he was running next to. "Sorry man, Erza may look like she hates the attention Lucy's throwing at her but trust me, I've known Erza long enough to know she secretly finds it flattering. I think it's because no one's ever tried this hard for her."

"I see."

"Don't worry man plenty of fish in the sea."

* * *

Meanwhile in a room adorned with cat decorations all over.

"Gah!" Natsu sneezed inside the mask. "Gross! I can't even wipe my mouth like this!"

He pulled at the cat mask currently on his face. "I really should take this off, but I can't!"

"Noooo!" Milliana wailed, knocking Wally's aim off.

"What are you doing, lass?" Wally frowned. "That was a perfect shot!"

"It's you!" Natsu exclaimed. "The square head!"

"It's a block!" Wally yelled.

"I won't let you hurt the little kitty." Milliana pouted angrily.

"He's not a cat!" Wally protested. "Just look at him!"

Natsu tilted his head. "Meow?"

"See?"

Wally's jaw dropped. "What the hell?"

"I didn't forget what you did back there!" Natsu pointed at Wally. "Square bastard! You could've killed me with that shot in the mouth!"

The two mages looked at each other both with the same line of thought. **"** _It should've killed you!"_

"Move it!" Wally shoved Milliana aside, sending a barrage of blocks at Natsu.

"Cat Make: Cat Shield!" Natsu joked, pulling a human-sized cat plush doll in front of him.

"Our enemy?" Milliana was confused. "A kitty?"

"I told you, he's not a cat!" Wally groaned. "That's a dude wearing a cat mask!"

"Cat Fire!" Natsu chuckled, smashing the next attack with flaming fists.

"Back me up here, toots." Wally shouted. "Jellal wasn't kidding about this guy's strength."

"Meow!" Milliana clenched her fists. "Pretending to be a kitty when you're not pisses me off!"

"Um..." Natsu sweat dropped, unsure if the girl was being serious or not. "Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"Cat Bind Rope!" Milliana screamed, entangling Natsu's arm with an orange rope.

"Excellent!" Wally grinned, sending another barrage of blocks at Natsu.

"What the hell?" Natsu exclaimed as the attacks knocked him backwards. "Is this thing stopping me from using magic?" He tugged at the rope, vainly trying to pull it off.

Milliana scowled as she used his distracted state and tied up his entire body.

"Looks like this is it, Salamander." Wally observed, pointing his gun at him. "Oh yeah, I've got this awesome line I wanted to try out... your destiny came to an end the moment you met-"

Happy slammed him in the head with a plastic cat figure.

"Natsu!" The cat cheered. "You're ok!" He glanced at the cat mask. "Um... what is that thing?"

"The kitty is flying!" Milliana exclaimed, then gasped when Wally shot at Happy. "No! No bullying the kitty!"

"Cat's don't fly, you crazy broad!" Wally protested. "Speak, maybe, but definitely not fly!"

"Get this thing off me, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!"

"Not a chance!" Wally shouted, trying to escape Milliana's hold on his scarf.

"I said no!"

"Not the cat, dammit!" He told her. "I'm going to take out the fake! The real one will be just fine Milly!"

"This isn't coming off, Natsu!" Happy groaned, straining to pull the ropes off.

"Dammit!" Natsu cursed, pushing himself into a sitting position. "There's only one thing to do then. Secret Cat Art: Wounded Kitty!"

Milliana teared up when Natsu pouted and fake tears began streaming down his cheeks. Without speaking, she made a hand motion and the ropes fell off him.

"What the hell, Milliana?" Wally yelled.

"Kitty was in pain..."

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu shot past them, knocking them both down. "Victory!"

The gravity of the situation came back to him. "Now to get this thing off..."

* * *

Jellal smirked. As Vivaldus observed, he pulled out a series of small figures, consisting of a knight, flaming key, dragon, ice crystal, waterfall, card, archer, tower, cat, and king. He then arranged them on a chess board and promptly knocked over the cat and archer with the dragon figure.

"Sho and Simon have switched sides." He remarked calmly. "And Wally and Milliana have been defeated by Natsu Dragneel. Yes... this is how the game should be played. A one-sided battle is no fun."

"Master Jellal, we should just capture Erza and hold the ceremony." Vivaldus suggested. "This is no longer the time for games."

"In that case, why don't you go, Vivaldus?"

"Really?" The man raised an eyebrow surprised. "You'll allow it?"

"It is our turn now, after all." Jellal smiled.

Vivaldus smirked. Magic power surrounded him, and he transformed from his stoic form into a crazy-looking man with heavy make-up and an electric guitar.

"The special squadron of the assassin guild Death's Head Order..." Jellal mused. "Trinity Raven. It's your turn now."

He looked them over. "Vivaldus Taka."

The now rocker-like man cackled insanely. "Go to hell! Yeow!"

"Fukuro."

A heavily built man with a jet-pack and an owl's head tilted it by almost 90 degrees. "Hoo-hoo."

"And their leader, Ikaruga."

An elegantly dressed woman with pink hair smirked. "It must be the fate of love and life to scatter on the winds... tonight shall be a festival."

* * *

It took a while but with Happy's help Natsu was finally free from the cat mask he had stuck on his head, accidently getting it stuck on the blockhead.

Natsu laughed when it landed on Wally's head. "Now it's stuck on the blockhead!"

"I'm surprised it could fit." Happy remarked, wide-eyed.

"This isn't over, Salamander." Wally scowled, standing up weakly and tossing the mask away.

"Well, I got my revenge now." Natsu told him. "And Erza and Happy are both safe, so I have no more interest in fighting you."

"Our goal is heaven..." Wally rasped. "The freedom of which Jellal speaks is a world where we rule over other people..."

* * *

"Welcome, all of you." A voice resounded everywhere around them.

"Jellal is transmitting his voice everywhere in the tower." Simon explained, looking around.

"I am Jellal, ruler of this tower." The man started. "The players on both sides have now been decided. I think it's about time to begin... the game of Heaven."

"The rules are simple." He explained. "My goal is to use Erza as a sacrifice to revive Zeref. In other words, if I manage to open the gates to Heaven, I win. But if you succeed in stopping me, then you win. However, that would not be much fun." The voice sounded amused. "So, I have arranged for three warriors to fight on my behalf. If you cannot get past them, you will be unable to reach me. In other words, this is a three-on-eight battle royale. If I include the cat, three-on-nine." Jellal smirked and placed a guitar, an elegant woman, and an owl figure in front of the king piece.

"And there's one more rule." He informed the 'players'. "As I speak, the Magic Council is debating about the use of the Satellite Square on this tower. If they decide to use the Etherion, it's game over. No players left to fight." With that, the broadcast paused.

"You never said anything about that, Jellal!" Vivaldus exclaimed. "If we get hit by that, all of us will go to hell!"

Ikaruga smirked. "Why, Vivaldus, is that fear I sense in your voice?"

"Not on your life!" Vivaldus shouted excitedly. "Just the opposite! A dangerous job like this is exactly what I've been looking for!"

"The time limit is unknown." Jellal transmitted as an afterthought. "However, the moment the Etherion strikes, everyone here will perish and there will be no victor."

Sho lowered his head, gritting his teeth angrily. In a puff of smoke, Erza got trapped in one of his cards.

"Erza!"

"What are you doing?" Simon exclaimed. "Have you gone insane?"

Sho shakily nodded. "I'm not letting anyone harm sister." He exclaimed. "I'll defeat Jellal myself if I have to." He yelled running off.

"Hey, Gray."

"Uh, yeah Lucy?"

"Did that guy really just run off with my mate trapped in his weak pocket dimension magic?" Lucy growled with a twitch in her eye and flames surrounding her, causing everyone to step away from her.

Gray nervously nodded his head as he looked at the blonde who seemed to be getting angrier at the second.

"Very well, I'll kill Sho later. As of now he's ruined everything, and we need to split up differently since he went off on his own to be a hero." She said with a growl.

"Uh right, so what now?" Gray asked.

"As much as I want to follow my mate, we still need to find Natsu and so long as blondie has her in that pocket dimension, she should be fine for now" she said reluctantly.

"For now, you and metal jaw giant can take the way we first entered since it was a three-way intersection, just ignore the way we came in and you can take one of the remaining paths. Water girl will take the other with me so we can find Natsu."

"Now break!" The four mages taking off into their respective paths.

* * *

And here we are in the tower of heaven arc. Sorry for the long wait. This story is one of my favorites so I didn't want to rush this one. And since I'm job searching it's taking me longer to get out chapters for all my stories. This is a hobby and as much as I love writing, job hunting comes first. Again thank you for all the support and follows. Next chapter should be out sooner than later.


	19. Tower of Heaven part 2

"I'm not sure what's going on." Natsu grinned, smashing his fist into his hand after finishing up his fight with Wally, "But it sounds like this will end if I beat this Jellal guy".

"How about we cheat and cut straight to the end, Happy?"

"Aye!"

As Natsu left Wally behind the block headed man thought about his words. "Fairy Tail giving me freedom huh?"

* * *

Natsu was in the middle of a giant room when something glinted in the distance.

"Something's coming this way."

"Hoo-hoo!" The large owl-headed man crashed into him, knocking him through a wall back into the tower.

"Salamander!" Simon exclaimed, having just ran up. "Are you all right?"

"Breaking the rules will not be tolerated." The man announced, landing next to them. "I am the warrior of justice, Fukuro!"

"It's a weird justice bird!" Natsu exclaimed, shocked.

Simon broke into a cold sweat. "Is... is he...?" He grabbed Natsu's arm and began running away. "This is bad! Quickly, follow me!"

"This guy is a friend of the blockhead!" Happy realized.

"I'm on your side now!" Simon countered. "And you mustn't fight against this guy! Dark Moment!"

Natsu looked around in shock as the light in the room completely disappeared, the room turning pitch black.

"Now's our chance!" Simon exclaimed, pulling him away.

"Hoo-hoo!" Fukuro appeared next to him. "The owl of justice strikes even in the darkest of nights!" He punched Simon down the hallway into a wall causing the man to gasp and cough up blood.

"It's the assassin guild, the Death's Head Order!" Simon gasped. "They're a dark guild, who specialize in assassination missions instead of normal jobs. The strongest among them is the trio known as 'Trinity Raven'."

"They're professional killers!" Simon told Natsu. "You cannot win against them!"

Natsu looked at the bird man in anger at this information.

"Salamander..." Fukuro slipped into a fighting stance. "Your infamy has even reached the ears of our guild! It is time for this warrior of justice to put an end to your evil deeds!"

"A guild is a place filled with dreams and aspirations." Natsu growled, as his fists lit up.

"Stop, Salamander!" Simon ordered. "You cannot win against this guy!"

"It pisses me off that there are people who would pay others to kill." Natsu scowled. "Not to mention that they would actually consider themselves a guild. You're pissing me off, so I'm taking you out!" He curved his flaming hand into a claw.

"Hoo-hoo. Young Salamander, there are evils in this world that cannot be permitted to exist." The torpedoes on his jet-pack ignited helping him surge forward. "And you are one of those evils."

Natsu grunted as Fukuro crashed into him and they flew back. "Well, if it's firepower we're talking about here... you won't beat me!"

Fukuro swerved grabbing Natsu's ankle and flying him into the air. Natsu scream echoed through the room as Fukuro threw him into the floor.

* * *

Jellal smirked as he used the owl piece to knock the tower over. "How disappointing, Simon... to lose so early in the game..."

He moved the owl piece in front of the dragon. "And now we have Fukuro against Natsu Dragneel." He sighed. "Honestly, I had hoped to go up against Natsu myself, but the odds do not look promising..."

* * *

"Natsu!" Lucy called out.

"Natsu!" Juvia shouted.

Lucy sighed. "Natsu's got hearing as good as me, so he should hear us from far away..."

Juvia frowned at being with her love rival and not Gray. "Why did Juvia have to join Lucy on her search for Natsu-san?"

"Because I said so Water girl." Lucy said.

"Gray-Sama had to agree with Lucy..." Juvia muttered resentfully. "Juvia wouldn't go against Gray-Sama's decision, but putting Juvia together with a rival in love?"

"I already said I'm courting Erza dumb water-girl!" Lucy exclaimed in exasperation. "I don't want to date Gray!"

A loud roaring noise filled the room they entered putting Lucy on alert and cutting Juvia off before she could make a rebuttal.

"Juvia kinda likes this music." The water mage observed, unaware of the danger coming. She turned to Lucy who was clutching her ears at the loud music, frowning at the music appearing.

Lucy looked around trying to pinpoint the source of it when from across the room a man appeared swinging his hair wildly, strumming away on his guitar.

"Hee-yah!" He yelled. "Wassup, ladies?"

"This is my concert of hell!" He shouted, changing the beat.

"What's up is I don't like your music so I'm gonna take you down." Lucy observed miffed, releasing a bit of her magic.

Juvia became on alert. "He must be one of Jellal's three warriors."

"We're the assassin's guild, the Death's Head Order!" The man declared proudly, "I am a member of Trinity Raven, Vivaldus Taka! Let's rock!"

Juvia frowned when his hair shot out everywhere. A sweeping motion passed easily through her body as it turned to water and back again. Lucy simply dodged the hair nimbly before standing upright.

"Oh?" Vivaldus blinked, watching Juvia. "That's a rocking body ya got there!"

"Juvia's body is made of water." She informed him.

"No attack can harm Juvia's body." She intoned, surrounding Vivaldus with water.

"Water Lock!"

"Did you say rock?" Vivaldus grinned as the water engulfed him, before getting absorbed into his hair.

Juvia's jaw dropped. "Juvia's water lock... disappeared?"

"Guess that water lock isn't so unbreakable eh?" Lucy joked, remembering what she told her when she was kidnapping her.

"Water is just the thing to use when your hair gets messed up." Vivaldus smirked.

"Unlike shampoo. That stuff will dry your hair out!"

"How did you break Juvia's Water Lock?"

"Should we really be asking questions while he's tryna kill us?" Lucy muttered, eyeing the creepy rocker guy.

"My hair has the power to absorb any liquid!" Vivaldus cackled. "Except for oil or alcohol. That stuff will really mess up your hair!"

Juvia took a step back. "Water won't affect him?"

"You two are a couple of fine ladies!" Vivaldus exclaimed. "But since blondie seems a bit feisty, water-girl gets to be my succubus today!"

Juvia frowned. "Succubus? And seriously will you people stop calling me water girl!"

"A type of female demon..." Lucy scowled. "What's he up to?"

"Rock of Succubus!" Vivaldus screamed, jamming away on his guitar. Purple light surrounded Juvia as she screamed feeling her senses fade away.

"I got me a succubus!" Vivaldus shouted as the light faded. "Yeeah!"

"I'm gonna show you the deepest pits of hell tonight, bitch!" A scantily clad and tattooed Juvia announced. "Yeah!"

"Hey now, Lucifer said it's not nice to call someone that!" Lucy yelled, angered by the insult the blue haired girl threw at her.

"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm gonna drag you to hell with me, ya little bitch!" Juvia cackled.

Lucy clenched her teeth in anger at being called a bitch again. "I'm gonna take you down water girl."

"That's right!" Vivaldus laughed. "She's my succubus now! She won't listen to anyone but me!"

"That's why I'm calling the one person who'll put her in her place" Lucy growled, waiting patiently for the moment when Juvia would attack watching as the rocker dude ordered Juvia to lunge at her. "Open Gate of the Water Bearer: Aquarius!"

"Bahahaha!" The rocker cackled as the mermaid materialized. "How desperate! There is no water around here for you to-"

He stopped laughing when Lucy stuck a golden key in Juvia's succubus body watching as a golden light erupted and out came a mermaid with a giant urn.

"Are you fucking serious, brat? Did you really summon me from a "body" of water?" Aquarius says grinding her teeth so as not to shout.

Lucy for her part cackled, while nodding at the mermaid. "I mean you said only call you in bodies of water, you never said what kind" Lucy said with a grin, flinching when the mermaid gets in her face promising pain later for this and the sword incident earlier.

"As rocking as this is I gotta take you down!" Vivaldus yelled.

"Yeah, yeah" Aquarius said rolling her eyes as she and Lucy charged forward to attack Juvia, who to avoid the attack turned her body to water. Unknown to her this was what Lucy and Aquarius were waiting for as the spirit had immediately created a large whirlpool using Juvia's body.

"Well, la-de-da you created more water!" Vivaldus laughed as his hair began to absorb the water. "I told you, my hair can assimilate all liquids!"

He paled when he felt something the water absorption stop. "What the... there's too much of it!"

Aquarius grinned and swung her vase again, doubling the whirlpool in size. Vivaldus screamed as the rapidly swirling waters tossed him into a wall, his hair falling off, revealing a shiny bald scalp. Juvia similarly fell out of the whirlpool back to normal now that Vivaldus was unconscious with Lucy catching her as she was too weak to stand.

"Lucy, thank you. I'm sorry for the words I said."

"Eh, don't worry about it, Lucifer said to never hold grudges on people who were being controlled."

"That's very specific don't you think?" Juvia deadpanned.

"A lot of stuff happened in my time with him."

* * *

Jellal frowned and knocked the guitar over while knocking over the waterfall. "I expected more from Vivaldus Taka... still, it seems only the Ishgar Demon wishes to continue on."

* * *

"I guess we're done here..." Aquarius smirked. "I'll be headed back home now. You better not call me or Scorpio out for the next two weeks, got it brat. We're going on vacation."

Lucy nodded not wanting to get on Aquarius's bad side. "Right."

Aquarius waved and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Anyway, we beat one of those Trinity Raven guys." Lucy observed. "So, time to move on and find my mate, ready water girl?"

"Actually, Juvia is quite tired..." The girl nodded. "A rest sounds good..."

"I mean usually I'd be down for a nap but I gotta save my girl, so I'm gonna go. Be safe alright" Lucy said before running off.

"Very well. Thank you, Lucy" Juvia said before closing her eyes.

* * *

"Regarding the decision to fire Etherion, the final votes stand at four for and five against." The chairman announced. "Therefore, Etherion will not be fired."

"Dammit!" Siegrain shot up. "You do not understand the situation we are in!"

"That's enough, Sieg." The chairman sighed. "We're done debating. There are peaceful ways to resolve the matter, after all."

"Don't tell me you haven't felt it..." Siegrain grit his teeth. "That dark energy that has slowly been spreading across the land... that's the power of the man Jellal's been trying to bring back..."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's resurrecting Zeref!" Siegrain shouted. Jaws dropped and many of them began to sweat in fear.

"What did you just say?" The chairman whispered, clearly audible in the shocked silence. "How could you possibly know that?"

"I didn't want to bring suspicion on myself, so I didn't mention this, but I know that man..." Siegrain sighed heavily. "I know Jellal... and I know what he intends to do..."

"Siegrain." The chairman frowned. "Tell us everything."

* * *

Natsu grit his teeth as Fukuro kicked him, causing him to slide back. "Fire Dragon's Claw!" He shouted, slamming Fukuro in the face.

The fighters glared at each other as they regained footing. "I think it is time to crush you with the hammer of justice!" Fukuro announced as his jet-pack and torpedoes shot at Natsu. "Missile Bomb!"

"What a strange attack..." Simon muttered, watching the two fight with wide eyes.

Happy paled. "Oh no..."

"I am well aware of your weakness, Salamander." Fukuro observed.

"This is bad. That thing is a vehicle!" Happy explained to Simon. "Natsu suffers from severe motion sickness!"

"Now that my prey has been weakened, I can move in for the kill!" Fukuro announced as the arms released Natsu. "This is the essence of hunting." He darted forward to intercept Natsu. "Capture!"

His mouth opened wide dropping Natsu headfirst into it.

"What the hell?" Simon exclaimed as Fukuro forced Natsu down his throat. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"I can digest the magic of those I have eaten." Fukuro explained.

"Digest..." Simon's eyes widened. "Do you mean to tell me you're able to somehow absorb Salamanders power?"

"Hoo-hoo!"

"I'll take that as a yes?"

* * *

"There are eight votes in favor." The chairman announced. "Our business here is finished. In one hour, the Etherion will be ready to fire."

Siegrain looked down at a disappointed man. "Yajima-san, you may find this difficult to accept, but at least you realize we cannot allow Zeref to be revived, right?"

"It isn't my role to complain anymore..." Yajima sighed. "But I trust you are ready to handle the consequences?"

"Of course." Siegrain nodded.

* * *

"Erza, looks like your second strongest piece is out..." Jellal grinned, knocking the dragon over. "Now what's your move? You're out of time... it won't be long before the light crashes down on us..."

* * *

"Erza..." Gray scowled. "Dammit, where is that idiot Natsu anyway? I'll smash his face in when I find him!"

He ran into a wide room and froze. "What the hell are you doing?" He yelled at a beaten Simon. "Did you find Natsu?"

"Gray..." Simon turned to him. "Salamander got swallowed by that guy..."

"What is he thinking messing around?" Gray punched the wall next to him, glaring at Fukuro. "Stupid flame-brain..."

"The digestion process has begun!" Fukuro announced. "In ten minutes, Salamander's body will completely dissolve. And when that happens, his magic will be truly mine!"

Gray couldn't help but facepalm at the fact Natsu had gotten swallowed by some type of hybrid birdman. "Whatever, I'll deal with this punk!" Gray declared. "Ice Make: Lance!"

Fukuro eyed the attack headed his way and spat out flames. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"He's absorbing Salamander's magic as we speak!" Simon yelled as Gray was engulfed in flames.

"Hoo-hoo!" Fukuro yelled, continuing to spew out fire. "Ice is nothing in the face of fire!"

Inside the flames, Gray grit his teeth.

"Useless!" Fukuro roared. "As one of Salamander's comrades, you should know the strength of these flames!"

Fukuro's jaw dropped when the fire turned solid and transparent with a bluish hue.

"He froze the flames?" Simon asked in disbelief.

"These are hardly Natsu's flames" Gray smirked.

"Hoo-hoo!" Fukuro charged forward. "Such impressive magical power. I think I shall devour you as well!"

Happy teared up when Fukuro caught Gray and swallowed most of his upper body. Just when it seemed the fight was over the owl-man's eyes bulged out when both his insides and outside began to freeze.

"We don't have time to waste here!" Gray yelled, having pulled himself out.

"I'm taking Erza back with me!" Gray shouted, charging at Fukuro.

"Erza is part of Fairy Tail, one of us..." Gray frowned, standing over his fallen opponent. "She was always crying alone, but no more!"

Gray Fullbuster... Simon gaped at the scene before him. He is more powerful than the information regarding him said...

"I have to find Erza..." Gray grit his teeth, trying to ignore his injuries.

 _No..._ Simon realized. _It looks like his feelings for Erza, for his comrades, is what drives him to such extremes..._

* * *

"Sho!" Erza yelled form inside her card prison. "Calm down! Let me out of here!"

Their eyes widened when an elegantly dressed woman appeared before them amidst a flurry of pink flower petals.

"I am called Ikaruga." She intoned, giving a slight bow. "Greetings to you."

Sho scowled. "Who the hell are you, lady?"

"Oh, my." Ikaruga sighed. "Such a foul-mouthed young man."

"I don't have time to waste on you!" Sho exclaimed, throwing several cards at her. Ikaruga narrowed her eyes at the projectiles, drawing her sword and slicing through all of them. Sho stared in disbelief as the cards split in half."

"There isn't anything under the sky that I cannot cut through." Ikaruga observed as two cuts appeared on Sho and he collapsed in a spray of blood.

"When... did you..." The boy rasped.

"Sho!" Erza shouted, drawing Ikaruga's attention to her card prison.

"So, you were hiding in a place like that, Erza, like a coward" The woman smiled.

"Let me out of here, Sho!" Erza demanded. "You cannot win against her!"

"Don't worry..." Sho sighed. "That card has protection on it, nobody from the outside should be able to hurt you..."

His eyes widened when Ikaruga slashed at the card and Erza blocked it with her sword before she could get hurt. "No way... she cut inside the card? In a separate dimension?"

Erza scowled when she saw the swordswoman advance on Sho causing her to force her way out of the card, much to everyone's surprise.

"How?"

"Thanks to her first slash, there was a distortion in the space fabric." Erza explained. "I sliced through it to escape."

Sho teared up. _Sister is incredible..._

"I have no business with you." Erza told Ikaruga. "Leave."

Her eyes widened when cuts appeared on her armor and it crumbled to pieces, leaving her in her regular attire.

"That was my way of greeting." Ikaruga smirked. "Don't tell me... you didn't see me move?"

Erza frowned, requipping into Heaven's Wheel Armor. "You are clearly an enemy, I can see that."

"Watch yourself." Ikaruga grinned, shooting forward. "Here I come."

Erza scowled as Ikaruga calmly gave and parried attacks, far above her own level of swordsman ship.

"Circle Sword!" Erza yelled, flying back and throwing a circle of weapons at Ikaruga.

The woman smirked. "Moonless Sky Art." She intoned, easily cutting through each of them. "Empty Flash."

Erza watched as the swords fell to pieces. Her eyes widened when Ikaruga slashed again, destroying her armor.

"Moonless Sky Art." Ikaruga sang. "Crescent Flame!"

"Requip!" Erza countered. "Flame Empress Armor!"

The armor did stop her from getting burned, but it still pushed her into a wall. "A flame-resistant armor?" Ikaruga raised an eyebrow. "I'm impressed you managed to requip so quickly."

Erza gasped as her armor shattered.

"However, it is still not enough." Ikaruga advised her. "I suggest you use the strongest armor you have."

"None have seen this armor and lived to talk about it!" Erza exclaimed, requipping into a black and spiky suit of armor. "Observe and despair. Requip: Purgatory Armor!"

Ikaruga scoffed and leapt forward, easily cutting it to pieces.

"Sister..." Sho muttered as Erza's eyes shot open in shock. "Sister can't win..."

"Was that your strongest armor?" Ikaruga smirked as Erza collapsed to the floor. "No matter what armor you wear, it cannot hold against my blade. Surrender."

Erza glared at her as she pushed herself up and requipped into bandages around her chest and cloth pants with painted flames, holding two plain swords in her hands. Both Sho and Ikaruga were surprised.

"Is this a joke?" Ikaruga asked. "There is no magic in that armor. It's just cloth."

Sho grit his teeth. "Just cloth?"

"And after I went to so much trouble to show you my skills..." Ikaruga sighed theatrically. "It seems I am being underestimated."

"Sister!" Sho wailed. "What's wrong with you? You have tons of strong armors left, don't you? You're stronger than this, right?"

"No, I am not strong." Erza whispered. "I'm not..."

Erza lowered her gaze to the ground. "I prefer being alone... I feel more at ease when I'm by myself."

"Then why were you crying?"

"So many of my comrades died before me..." Erza muttered as she remembered Rob and her friends, the way they were eight years ago. "I failed to protect those I cared about..."

"I was always crying... always trying to make myself seem stronger than I was... I locked up my heart in a suit of armor, and cried..."

"It is because I am weak that I will always hide behind a suit of armor." Erza scowled. "I could never find it in me to remove it."

"It makes no difference to me." Ikaruga announced. "Even if my opponent is naked, I will still slice her."

"I always believed that the armor would keep me safe, but that wasn't right." Sho listened, enraptured by Erza's words. "The link between people's hearts that allows them to connect was being blocked..."

"But Fairy Tail taught me the truth!" Erza declared, as an image of the guild members appeared in her mind. "That being close to people and feeling their warmth is so much better!" Next was an image of a blonde with a toothy grin, causing a small smile to appear on Erza's face.

"Prepare yourself!" Ikaruga advised, jumping forward.

"I no longer have any doubts!" Erza charged to meet her attack. "I shall transform my very core into strength and take you down!"

* * *

Jellal sighed, standing up to see who had made to the tower already. "Don't tell me the game is over already."

Lucy blinked in confusion as soon as she saw she was at the top of the tower and a face she had seen once before came into view. "Hey, aren't you Mystogan?"

"Who?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes as her slayer powers began reacting to the demonic power coming off the blue haired man, "No, you're someone else. Tell me Who are you and what did you do to yourself that such a demonic presence is emitting from your body".

Jellal stared at the blonde in surprise, he had heard stories of what she had done but he didn't believe that she could sense demons.

"My name is Jellal Fernandes and I merely answered a call. Now answer me this, how did you get up here without passing by Ikaruga, I was watching the entire time and you didn't pass her, there was no other way you could've gotten here. So just...how?"

"I made a shortcut" Lucy said with a devilish grin as she pointed to a hole in the wall which was melted down, steam still coming off it.

"You're kidding me."

"Nope, now then" Her joking expression vanished, replaced by a snarl. "Onto the fight!"

Lucy quickly charged forward with a hellfire fist to the surprise of Jellal.

"Meteor!" Jellal immediately dodged the blonde, shooting across the room preparing himself for a counterattack. Unfortunately, he underestimated Lucy's speed for when he turned around a jet stream of flames shot at the man's face from Lucy's right arm knocking him across the room. As he rolled back Lucy gracefully skidded across the floor where she landed.

"Hmm, I see your reputation of being brutal in battle proceeds you" the man sneered.

"I didn't earn the name Ishgar Demon for nothing. Taurus!"

"What?" Jellal asked surprised as a bull materialized out of nowhere and sent him flying with their axe.

Slowly picking himself up, he felt rather than saw the gash on his stomach. Jellal merely laughed at the pain wiping the blood off his mouth, "I see I'll have to start taking you serious, Ishgar Demon."

Lucy adjusted her stance when she saw the demonic power begin to shift around Jellal, the killing intent surrounding him becoming more and more unstable.

"Miss Luuucy, we need to watch out". Taurus warned, surprised at the amount of power this mage contained.

Lucy said nothing as even she was surprised at the power this man had. Shifting she narrowed her eyes looking for an opening in his stance, slightly surprised when she found none, making sure to be cautious of the next move the man made.

"I'll be ending this now" Jellal remarks. Before Lucy could even blink Jellal appeared right before her eyes, shooting a dark magic energy beam through her torso before she could react.

"What-!" blood shot out of Lucy's mouth as she felt the dark energy hit her, Taurus disappearing before he could even help due to his master's energy draining.

"MISS LUUUUCY!"

"Hmm, and here I thought the Ishgar Demon would bring me a greater challenge" Jellal drawled, "I guess the rumors were false."

As the man began to slightly limp away from the blonde's motionless body he began to look and see how things were progressing with his other "players", causing him to miss the girl slowly pick herself up, a dark look in her eye as she wiped the blood off her mouth, the magic surrounding her becoming more potent.

"Now, it's my turn…Jellal" Lucy chuckled.

Jellal busy paying attention to those still in the tower missed hearing the girl who should've been dead by such a high-powered blast and was unable to dodge the flaming kick to his side sending him tumbling across the room.

"This fight's only just begun, Fernandes" Lucy spat.

* * *

"The fight... is over..." Ikaruga smiled, collapsing with her sword breaking in several places.

"All right!" Sho cheered. "Sister, you were incredible!"

"Impressive..." Ikaruga muttered weakly. "For the first time in my life, I have tasted defeat... however, both you and Jellal are destined to share this fate..."

Erza stared at her in shock.

"Fifteen minutes..." Ikaruga lifted an arm weakly. "The light of justice... shall rain down from the heavens... it will kill us all..."

Erza and Sho looked to each other when they realized what swordswoman's words meant.

* * *

Natsu looked up weakly... and his head shot up in alarm. "What?"

"Ah, so you're awake then." Simon observed, carrying the boy on his shoulder.

"I remember ending up on some sort of vehicle..." Natsu's cheeks puffed up. "Ughh..."

"After that vehicle ride, Fukuro swallowed you." Simon explained. "Gray ended up defeating him and saving you."

"Gray?"

"Yeah." Simon nodded, putting Natsu down. "But he took some damage himself. That cat of yours took him outside the tower."

"No way!" Natsu wailed comically. "I lost to someone who Gray beat?"

"Well..." Simon hesitated. "You didn't exactly lose... you got eaten."

"I'm gonna be teased for like a month after this!" Natsu panicked. "If Lucy finds out she'll never let me live this down!"

"This is not the time for that!" Simon protested, grabbing Natsu's scarf to stop him from running off. "

Natsu looked back at him. "Hey, who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Simon. I'm an old friend of Erza." He grunted, falling to one knee in pain.

"Hey, are you hurt or something?"

"Don't worry about me..." Simon rasped. "Listen, Natsu... I just received a transmission from Milliana and Wally. They found Juvia resting on the ground near a defeated member of Trinity Raven. Since they weren't sure what's going on, they didn't know what to do, but I told them to get Juvia out of the tower. And from what I hear from Sho, that means all of Trinity Raven is defeated."

"Eh?" Natsu moaned. "But I didn't get to do a thing!"

"The only enemy left is Jellal himself." Simon observed. "It seems that my worst fears may come to pass after all. Sho says that Erza had managed to get past Ikaruga before and if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say she already reached Jellal by now."

"Then there's no problem!" Natsu cheered. "She'll kick his ass easily!"

"Wrong." Simon shook his head. "While Erza will fight him, she won't be able to strike him down when the time comes. Jellal is too powerful for that."

"You don't gotta worry though because Lucy's probably headed up there" Natsu pointed out, "She'll take him down in like ten seconds."

"Please, Natsu." Simon glared at Natsu seriously. "You must help Erza!"

"Sorry but Erza is Lucy's mate, I can't butt in on a fight like this."

Simon's jaw dropped.

* * *

Jellal groaned, the fight against the Ishgar Demon was taking surprisingly longer than he thought it would have. _She's heavily injured, but she's fighting as though she's yet to get a scratch on her._

"Mavis, she really is a demon" he sweat dropped.

Taking stock of his other injuries Jellal quickly popped his should into place, while tearing part of his cloak to wrap his stomach taking note that the gash on his stomach was far bigger than he initially thought, and that he was most likely going to have a few burn marks on his body after this whole ordeal was done. Once done he looked to where he Lucy was who was also taking a few breaths from their pause in the fight.

"You're quite the formidable foe, Ishgar Demon. I will admit I was not expecting such a fight from someone of your caliber" he chuckled, before gasping in pain.

"Yeah, I get that a lot" Lucy said with a dopey grin, wincing at her movement. "Helps, that we're fighting at night since it gives me a boost in my magic" she said, remembering one of her lessons from Lucifer.

Jellal couldn't help but facepalm at finding out the girls secret to be such a powerhouse now.

" _Note to self-fight mages with celestial powers during day" Jellal thought_.

* * *

The sound of footsteps brought him out of his stupor.

"Oh, well la-dee-da look who decided to finally show up" Jellal sneered, after spitting out blood.

"About time you made it here, Erza." He observed.

Erza's eyes widened in shock when she saw Jellal standing in the middle of the tower bloodied. She gasped shocked when she saw Lucy just as bloody on the other side of him wavy happily to her.

"Mate! Hey mate! Look I almost have him!" Lucy yelled, grimacing at her movements.

Erza covered her face in embarrassment at the blonde's actions.

"I'll admit, Erza, I was surprised when I saw the Ishgar Demon here first, but then again they say she has a thirst for battle" Jellal grunted, managing to get over the wave of pain that hit him.

"Hey, I just ran where I thought-

Jellal continued with his speech to Erza ignoring Lucy's yelling by throwing another energy beam her way.

"Renowned for her strategic battle skill, and magical prowess which is unmatched by those far and wide" he endured the pain for a dramatic slow clapped for the battered girl on behind him. "Yes, she is turning out to be quite the fight."

Erza's eyes widened in horror at seeing Lucy barely dodge the energy beam shot her way. She watched as the celestial mage/demon slayer slowly got back up on all fours, a look of anger on her face that even scared Erza.

Jellal smirked seeing the anguish in his former friends' eyes. " My apologies, I didn't know she meant so much to you. Had I known...well I still would've attacked her, but I would've tried harder to make her death swift, instead of prolonging this godforsaken fight".

"You're a monster!" Erza yelled, wanting to go and help Lucy up but unable to since Jellal was in her way.

"Well I had to see that the tower was finished" he said with an eye roll. "Besides you could have simply fled this place at any time today avoiding this." Jellal observed. "But you didn't, tell me why that is?'

"I plan to free all of my comrades." Erza scowled.

"Suit yourself. I've no use for them." Jellal shrugged. "Not now that the Tower of Heaven is complete."

"Even if it will be destroyed in a mere ten minutes?" Erza asked him.

"You mean the Etherion?" Jellal chuckled nonchalantly.

"You don't seem to care..." Erza's grip on her sword tightened. "I bet you were bluffing, there's no Etherion..."

"Oh, not at all." Jellal said as he removed his cloak revealing how injured his body was and grinned. "Etherion will fall."

Erza stood shock for a moment, _Mavis, Lucy did not hold back._

"Yes, yes I'm a mess, thank your friend." Jellal drawled.

"...That's not what I was going to say!" Erza prepared to attack. "Anyways, if there's only ten minutes. Then I will do everything I can to keep you here that long, I will bring an end to this!"

"And what of the Ishgar Demon?" Jellal raised an eyebrow. "She's in no condition to move. I'm not even sure she's alive right now!"

"Nah, I'm okay, just a little broken right now!" Lucy yelled, as she shot a thumbs up where she sat watching the two argue. "Once you get back to fighting, I'll be back up!"

Erza let a small smile slip on her face at her dumb demon's reply. "Well, now that we've established Lucy-

"You're mate!"

"…no"

"I tried!"

"As I was saying, now that we know Lucy is semi-alright, I'm sure Natsu will ignore orders of leaving and come charging here." Erza replied. "Once he does, I'll tell him to take her to safety."

"Not likely!" Lucy yelled, not laying on her side letting the celestial power surrounding her absorb into her body.

"Shut up, already!" Erza yelled.

"Okay!"

"Ahem..." Jellal cleared his throat. "Well, you are correct to not think about leaving yourself... because you are going to die, as my sacrifice to Zeref!"

"That much is pure fact!" He laughed loudly, going back to his dramatic persona. "It is your destiny!"

* * *

"I don't understand..." Simon frowned. "Why are you refusing to help Erza, your own comrade, guild mate, and friend?"

"He's Erza's enemy, so I say Erza should fight him." Natsu countered. "This isn't something I should interfere in. As it is, Lucy will be there for help, so why am I needed?"

"Erza and Lucy have no hope of defeating Jellal! What don't you understand!"

"Don't insult her like this, you creep! Beside Lucy's a wizard saint, do you even know how powerful Lucy is?"

"This isn't a contest of magical power!" Simon yelled. "Erza is still hoping to save Jellal somehow, I know it! She doesn't have it in her to hate him! She's a big softie secretly".

Natsu watched the man still not convinced.

"Okay. You explained why Erza can't beat him, but why not Lucy?"

"Jellal is a cunning man." Simon sighed, calming down. "He will use the feelings Erza still has for him, angering Lucy and throwing her off her game. But it gets worse than that, the Magic Council is planning to fire Etherion down on this place, and there are only ten minutes left."

"Oooh, you're right. Lucy isn't gonna like that." Natsu said, only having paid attention to the Erza still having feelings for Jellal part.

Simon stared at Natsu. "Did you not hear about the Etherion shooting down on us in ten minutes and us all dying if that happens?"

Natsu shrugged.

Simon shook his head and continued, "You know Erza well, right? As much as it hurts to admit it, she's most likely planning on using the Etherion to die and take Jellal with her!"

Natsu grit his teeth. "You should have said that at the beginning, dumbass! Tell me where Erza is, then get outta here got it!"

* * *

"Seven minutes left." Jellal smirked. "Only seven minutes until Etherion rains down on us. Let us enjoy those few minutes, Erza."

"There is nothing that I fear anymore." Erza scowled.

"Even if Etherion does fall, I will be satisfied by taking you with me."

* * *

"Tsk, not on my watch" Lucy thought as she slowly stood back up having rested up enough.

* * *

"…ENOUGH, Here I come!" Jellal frowned, sending blasts of dark energy at Erza, who countered by dodging some and slashing through others. The man noticed an opportunity and made a hand sign, causing an explosion in front of Erza and sending her crashing through a wall.

"You just finished this tower and you're wrecking it already?" She shouted, shooting herself off a falling chunk of wall and slicing at Jellal. "I'm speechless."

"It's just a pillar and section of a wall." Jellal observed. "Nothing really important."

"Sho and the others have worked on it for eight years for you!" Erza yelled, landing back on solid ground and swinging at him.

"No need to remind me." Jellal formed a bright orb in his hand. "What's really important here is the R-system. And now it is finally complete!"

The orb smashed into Erza, expanding and trapping her within. Jellal's eyes widened when she was able to cut herself free and sprung forward, slashing him near his stomach causing an immense amount of pain on his injury before he could react.

You're kidding me... Jellal was shocked as he collapsed and Erza pinned him down.

 _This is the same Erza?_

The girl pointed her sword at his neck. "What are you really after?" She asked. "You haven't really completed the R-system, have you?"

"Don't think I wasted those eight years." Erza told the stunned man. "I did my research on the R-system. The building is indeed finished, according to the blueprints from back then. However, you are still missing a basic thing to really complete it."

"I told you." Jellal grinned, despite his pain. "You will be the sacrifice..."

Erza shook her head. "No. Something even more basic than that... magic power."

"To activate a spell on this scale needs a vast amount of magical energy." Erza explained. "It is impossible for a single person to gather all of it and store it in this tower."

"And that's not all." She frowned. "You are aware of the council's plan to destroy this place, yet you remain unconcerned. Just what are you up to?"

Jellal cackled. "Three minutes until Etherion falls..."

"Your dream is over!" Erza yelled. "It has been for a long time! Do you really just want to die here?" She grabbed his arm angrily. "If so, then die here with me! I'll hold you down until that final moments arrives!"

* * *

Off in the far corner of the tower of heaven an injured Lucy who was mostly healed thanks to the celestial energy having been absorbed into her body began to move towards the brawl happening in the middle of the room. Although she still had the aches and a giant hole in her stomach Lucy still found her magic had been restored, to an acceptable level to help her mate fight again.

As Lucy began to head towards where Erza and Jellal were she caught a glimpse of their conversation, her face dropping at the pain she felt from her words.

"She...wants to die with him?"

 _She just wants to save her friends Lucy, don't look too into Princess" Loke said trying to soothe his master._

Lucy sighed, "She doesn't love me. And she never will, so why do I even try."

Clenching her fists in anger, causing the wound on her palm to reopen, Lucy listened to Erza continue to try and talk down Jellal, saddened that she was still trying to sacrifice herself with the blue haired asshole.

"Stop pouting little demon and get back up!" a voice in her head tutted.

"Luce" Lucy whispered.

"I didn't raise a wimp, did I!"

Lucy looked around trying to pinpoint that voice. Her heart soaring at having heard the gravelly voice after missing it for so many years.

"No..you didn't" Lucy said with a devilish grin.

"That's right, now go save your mate!"

"You got it...Luce" Lucy chuckled sadly, chalking up the voice to be her imagination.

* * *

 **Back to Erza and Jellal**

"Yeah..." Jellal chuckled weakly. "That doesn't sound too bad..."

"My body was possessed by Zeref's lingering spirit..." He muttered. " Your friend figured that out when she tried slaying the demonic power within me but failed too. In the end there was nothing I could do... but be a mere puppet on strings, working to fully restore him..."

"Possessed?"

" I couldn't save myself" Jellal smiled softly. "My comrades couldn't either... there was no one who could help" He scoffed. "Heaven and freedom, I couldn't find either one. It was all over before it even began..."

Erza's eyes widened.

* * *

"The final phase of the Etherion firing sequence is complete!" A supervisor announced. "Expand the Satellite Square.

* * *

A large magic circle appeared over the tower. Sho, Wally, Milliana, Simon, Juvia, Gray, and Happy watched from their boat as light began to gather.

"Whoa..." Wally's jaw dropped. "They're seriously going to fire the Etherion?"

"Natsu, Erza, Lucy!" Happy sobbed. "You gotta get out of there..."

Simon grit his teeth. "I should have gone after Salamander." He spat. "But he shot upwards using his legs as jets-

"Yeah, thank the other flame brain for that move" Gray drawled.

"... there's no way I would have reached the top on foot."

* * *

"I knew I could never finish the R-system..." Jellal muttered. "But Zeref's spirit wouldn't allow me to give up. I can't stop this now. I'm a discarded shell, not worth redemption..."

"Erza." He smiled. "You win this fight... so please kill me. That's why you came here, right?"

"There's no reason for me to raise a finger..." Erza sighed. "This noise... the Etherion must be preparing to fire right now..." She tossed her sword to one side and released his arm. "It's over." She remarked, getting off him. "For you... and for me..."

"You were just another sacrifice for Zeref, weren't you?" She asked as he sat up next to her.

"This is my sin for giving in to my weakness." Jellal observed. "My heart couldn't handle the gap between dreams and reality."

"But don't you think that locking your weaknesses away within yourself is what comrades are for?" Erza asked him.

"I have to atone as well..." Erza smiled. "For the sin of being unable to save you..."

"Oh, no." Jellal shook his head, about to embrace her, "You did save me."

Light began to surround them.

"I'm sorry about your friend" Jellal muttered pulling Erza into his arms not noticing the injured slayer on his side begin to move.

Erza's eyes widened she glanced at Lucy, who was now missing from her spot in the rubble. "Lucy?!"

* * *

Everything fell silent as a light crashed down on them.

* * *

Unheard by them the slightly healed slayer used the strength she had gained and cast the one spell she knew was a risk to her health.

"celestial guardian shield" while the words were whispered, a large golden shield still erupted around the tower blocking the incoming blast. Slowly her magic began to fade, the shield cracking as the blast continued to descend on the tower, until finally it broke through allowing the last of the blast to hit the tower revealing its true form.

Lucy fell to one knee and frowned as she felt the tower shake. "The hell if I'm letting you move in on my territory Jello!"

* * *

 **Hope this chapter was to your liking. Thank you everyone who wished me well on my job hunt.**


	20. Tower of Heaven Finale

**Some changes made to the chapter if you reread then you'll see it but it is an important change.**

"Etherion has been successfully fired! Direct- wait what happened!" A supervisor yelled horrified.

"Well, we hit the tower, just not with an entire blast." Another pointed out.

"You mean the tower wasn't destroyed? What could be strong enough to block that type of hit?" An attendant demanded.

* * *

Erza looked around in shock as she realized they were still standing, only having felt slight tremors.

Jellal lifted in eye curious as he stood in pain, "Now who could have done that. nevertheless, I still got what I needed."

Erza looked around still confused as to how the blast was stopped, only to see a bruised and bloodied blonde suddenly appear next to her with a goofy grin making Erza's heart soar, the next second a look of horror appearing as she watches her kick Jellal across the room in the face.

* * *

"Something counteracted the Etherion fusion in the center of the blast!" A worker exclaimed.

"We barely got a quarter of the blast to get through!" another shouted.

* * *

Juvia stared at the golden shield which protected the tower while the blast shot down on the tower, "Who could possibly have such power to produce such a thing and protect the tower like that?" Juvia asked in shock.

"I've only seen one person do such a magic" Gray said with a small smile. " The flame brain 2.0 would never let something like an Etherion blast take her down."

"You mean..." Simon looked to Gray. "That was Lucy?"

"Yeah, I wasn't lying when I said she was powerful" Gray said, still looking at the tower, beginning to frown when the shield shatters allowing the blast to hit the tower.

* * *

"What the- "Jellal said in surprise as a boot slammed into his face.

"Lucy! What the hell!" Erza yelled slamming Lucy to the ground.

"He's lying" Lucy grumbled.

"About what, you knocked him out before he could say or do anything!" Erza questioned looking to the blue haired man lying motionless on the ground.

"Well good, then we won. Les go home already, this tummy wound doesn't look to good." Lucy grimaced, poking a finger in the giant wound.

"Don't do that idiot!" Loke scolded, using the bandage wraps virgo had given him to start dressing his masters wounds.

"Grr, Lucy! You can't just knock people out when they aren't bad!" Erza growled.

Lucy shrugged at her mate. "I didn't. I knocked out blueberry head. And trust me he was bad. Now hurry up and cuff the guy before he wakes-

Lucy was rudely interrupted by Jellal laughing from his slumped postion before she could finish speaking. He slowly worked it up to a maniacal laugh.

"Uh, this guy is so damn troublesome." Lucy whispered to Loke who was still dressing her wounds. "Great job cuffing Jerry up babe." Lucy drawled sarcastically.

Erza glared at the blonde before looking on worriedly at Jellal.

"Well, done Ishgar De-cough-demon. For someone on deaths door…you truly amaze me! But it matters not because I've got what I needed!"

"What?" Erza asked lost.

"This is the true form of the Tower of Heaven. A giant lacrima crystal!" He spread his arms wide slowly getting up. "And thanks to the power of Etherion, I have gathered the magic energy I need. The R-system is now fully complete!"

"You..." Erza grit her teeth, apologetic at the fact she slammed Lucy to the ground for hitting Jellal "You tricked me!"

Jellal merely smirked at the scarlet mage. "Yes, I did. And the dumb demon figured it out before you, Ti-ta-nia."

Erza couldn't help but hide the blush on her face from embarrassment.

"Hey now, Lucifer said it's not nice to lie to those you care about." Lucy said, shifting her body from her now lax position on the ground. "Look here, Erza may not love me and she may be okay with dying with the devil incarnate-

Erza looked down guiltily as she listened to Lucy's words watching as she wiped the blood dripping from her face.

"But I'm sure as hell not! She has family that she has to go home to!"

Erza felt a tear fall from her eye. "Lucy..."

* * *

Although they had lost their boat, the escaped mages managed to get away while enclosed in a water barrier thanks to Juvia. "What is that thing?" Gray scowled.

"It's the R-system." Simon frowned. "It's the true form of the Tower of Heaven we constructed. It is now being activated."

"Activated?" Juvia panicked. "Are you saying that Zeref is being revived?"

"I don't know." Sho grit his teeth. "It's our first time seeing this..."

* * *

"Oh? And just what can you do to me? After that punch from Erza you look a bit disoriented." Jellal said smirking as he went soaring towards Lucy who managed to throw herself to the side dodging Jellal. Erza looking away guiltily.

"Even so, Lucifer always said take down the enemy or die trying! And I'm fine with that!" Lucy said, smirking when she realized she still had a piece of celestial food in her pouch that Virgo had given her earlier. Quickly devouring the food, Lucy felt her body no longer fill so weak and her magical container fill up. Oh she was so going to rid this annoying pest.

* * *

" _So troublesome, looks like that food wasn't enough to fill me up. Well guess I'll just use THAT if the time comes. For now, take a break alright guys."_

" _Fine, but if you die, we're gonna bring you back just to kill you got it" Aquarius said._

 _Lucy began to sweat as she nodded, "got it!"_

* * *

"Lucy!" Erza yelled going to help.

Jellal quickly dodged Erza's attack by tossing her across the floor watching as she tumbled several times until she hit a wall

"Where's all that bravado you had earlier?" Jellal asked, "I thought you were going to take me out?"

"Are you still so weak Erza?"

Erza grit her teeth and requipped a regular sword.

"Right now, the council is completely paralyzed." Jellal mused, easily dodging her attacks. "I'll have to thank Ultear. She did well."

"If everyone in heaven is of one mind, I will no longer fear death." Jellal smirked. "Really, I have to thank your simple-mindedness as well."

"You'll get what you deserve!" Erza yelled. "I will get you for what you've done to Sho and the others!"

"Oh, not Lucy specifically, is she chopped liver?" Jellal said, hoping to provoke Erza.

Erza began to blush at his words, "I said others didn't I"!

Erza was mid attack when a snake-like mark on her back suddenly uncoiled and wound itself around her sword arm.

Erza struggled to move. "What is this?"

"A binding serpent spells." Jellal explained. "I put it on you when we were hug-ack." Jellal turned to see who hit him only to see Lucy a look of hatred on her face.

"No one touches my mate but me, even if she does hate when I do it!" Lucy growled.

Erza, rolled her eyes before groaning as the mark spread to immobilize her entire body. "I... I can't move, Lucy!"

Lucy turned to Erza worry in her eyes, turning her back on Jellal for a moment.

Jellal seeing this quickly took advantage of the distraction and using meteor dashed forward towards Lucy hoping to toss her into another pillar. However, thanks to Lucy's slayer senses, she was able to hear Jellal soaring towards her and threw herself across the room…into a pillar.

* * *

"I think it's going to be Lucy who ends up killing herself one day" Loke said, as he clutches his chest.

"Indeed, perhaps we should put miss Lucy through a "How to take care of yourself" safety first class" Capricorn offers.

"Yeah, Ebi might benefit from that" Cancer, says sweating.

* * *

Erza let out the breath she was holding when she saw Lucy still moving but unable to fully get up after dodging Jellal's attack.

"I already have all the magic power I need. Despite that thing that blocked most of the Etherion blast" Jellal observed, watching Erza struggle and Lucy still not get up. "And now that I have the sacrifice, Zeref will be revived. I will take all the magic energy collected by the lacrima and fuse it with your body. You will then be broken down and reconstituted as Zeref's new vessel."

Jellal smirked as he pushed Erza into the lacrima wall. "Goodbye, Erza."

"You bastard!" Erza shouted as she began to sink in the crystal.

"Oh, exalted Zeref. I stand before you!" Jellal announced. "I offer you this woman's body as your sacrifice!"

The tower began to glow, a deep rumble surrounded them all.

"Jellal!" Erza shouted desperately, trying to pull herself out.

Erza and Jellal's eyes widened when Natsu and Lucy both grabbed her arm pulling her out of the lacrima. "Can't get away from us that easily." Natsu said grinning, with Lucy by his side.

"Erza belongs to Fairy Tail- "

"And me" Lucy added.

Natsu nodded, before looking back to Jellal. "We won't hand her over to you!"

"You idiots..." Erza muttered.

"So, tell me Luce, what's the situation?"

"This guy's such a jerk, I mean really annoying, Natsu. Erza loves him apparently, and she was okay with dying with him, and then get this, this guy put some immobile snake on her!" Lucy said incredulous to Natsu. "Oh, and I swear I heard Luce's voice in my head!"

Natsu was listening intently to his best friends words his eyes widening as her story unfolds, while the two other occupants are watching, unsure if what they are seeing is real or not.

"We're gonna put a pin in the Luce thing first off. Second, I'm sure Erza didn't mean it that way. Let's just finish this fight then we can talk it all over alright?" Natsu says patting his friends very bloody back.

Lucy merely sighs, nodding her head. "Alright then."

"Hey, Erza why haven't ya finished this guy! Lucy and I gotta get back to looking for Igneel and Lucifer so they can have an all-out fight to see who's stronger!"

"Did you not hear the part where Lucy said an immobile snake was put on me?" Erza groaned. "I can't move my body."

"Oh?" Natsu smirked evilly. "Is that so?" He then whispered something in Lucy's ear which brightened her face as she looked at Erza.

"Payback, mate" Lucy said with a devilish grin before she began tickling her everywhere, she could reach. "This is for all those times you beat me up!"

"Lucy..." Erza wheezed in between giggles. "You have to leave this place now..."

"No way!" Natsu objected. "If you can't handle him, then let me have a shot!"

"No." Erza shook her head. "He's too dangerous. You don't understand him at all."

Natsu frowned. "I can't win if I don't understand? That make sense Lucy?"

"I don't know. I don't understand a lot of stuff." Lucy said, "Like for one, why Erza won't accept me? For two where does the sun go when the night comes?"

"Mavis, and I'm falling for this fool" Erza mumbled, unaware she had said that out loud.

Large grins grew on Natsu and Lucy's face, the two mages nudging each other in excitement at Erza's words.

"Told ya Luce" Natsu said giddy at Erza' confession.

"Natsu please, take Lucy and leave." Erza grit her teeth, unaware of the two slayers shit eating grins from her confession. "Please... do as I say..."

"Nah, I'm good. What say you Lucy?" Natsu asked as he helped Erza stand.

"Nah."

"Eh?" Erza said at the two blunt answers.

"Lucy may be have a really big life-threatening hole in her stomach but we can still win! Right Luce!" Natsu declared, slamming Erza in the stomach and knocking her down, unconscious.

"Right!"

"You're even more irrational than I've heard." Jellal observed. "Did you enjoy striking a comrade who couldn't move?"

"Erza..." Natsu whispered. "She was crying." His fist shook. "And saying depressing things with a shaky voice. I've never seen Erza like that. She should be strong, mean, and scary." He turned towards Jellal, his face contorted with rage. "When she wakes up, I hope she'll be the Erza I know! And plus, Lucy still hasn't mated with her so she needs to come back with us so her and Lucy can do that."

Raising his hand for a high five which Lucy gave, "Slayer power!"

"Interesting." Jellal mused as Natsu shot at him with a flaming fist. "In that case, let me see the power of a Dragon Slayer."

He smirked, although he was having a bit of trouble dodging the oncoming punch thanks to the blonde's injuries, he still managed to give the dragon slayer a hard time.

Natsu growled as he followed up with a fiery kick that caught Jellal in his face. Having pushed him back, Natsu pressed his advantage with three more punches to his injured stomach and an elbow to the face.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" He shouted, knocking the blue-haired man into the air.

"Fire Dragon's Claw!" He added, appearing above Jellal and smashing him back into the ground.

He sneered as he landed. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" A massive gust of flame engulfed Jellal, flowing towards Lucy who decided to have a snack and help speed up her recovery.

"Is that all you can do?" Jellal asked, spitting at the two slayers as the smoke cleared.

"The Ishgar Demon displayed far more power than you! To think I had hoped to see the destructive potential of a Dragon Slayer before I killed you." He shrugged. " I've seen nothing special so far."

"You had the nerve to interrupt my ceremony." He sighed as Natsu shot towards him again. "Now I'm going to use my Heavenly Body magic to crush you."

"Meteor!" He intoned, getting surrounded by light and surging forward at an incredible speed. Natsu frowned when Jellal shot past him and swerved to aim at his back. He turned to face the threat... and blinked when Jellal moved around him, going to smashing a knee into his chin.

"Bastard!" Natsu roared, throwing a wild punch which predictably missed. Jellal smirked and countered with a fist of his own, knocking Natsu back.

"Dammit, he's too fast." Natsu observed.

"I can't rely on my eyes now." He closed his eyes, standing still and focusing his other senses. "Focus." He swung at the direction Jellal was approaching from. "There!"

Jellal smirked as he sped up even more and easily dodged.

"He got faster?" Natsu exclaimed in shock.

Lucy who was still on the side since Natsu told her to take a break kept her eye constantly following Jellal.

* * *

"I won't let any of your attacks touch me!" Jellal announced as he assaulted Natsu with a barrage of blows. The boy coughed up blood when Jellal kicked him in the stomach.

"It's over!" Jellal declared as he flew up high. "Time for you to have a glimpse of real destructive power. Grand Chariot!"

Natsu's eyes widened in fear as seven magic circles lit up in the sky and a barrage of light attacks fell from them hitting him. However, before he could take the full brunt of the attack, he was rushed out of the way by a Lucy who slumped onto her knee's once they were out of danger's way.

"Sorry for taking so long" Lucy said with her signature grin, "But thanks for the fire" she added.

"No problem, Luce" Natsu grimaced, trying to get over the pain of those hits.

"This magic is comparable in strength to an actual meteor." Jellal explained, landing.

"I'm quite impressed you were able to move out of the way given your injuries Ishgar Demon, then again if the stories I've heard about you have any semblance of truth to them then I guess I shouldn't be surprised".

The man looked around, noticing the hole-riddled floor. "It looks like I overdid it. It seems that due to the damage to the R-system, the magic energy is beginning to leak out."

He glanced at Erza and smirked. "We'll have to hurry. Right, Erza?"

Jellal turned back around when he felt something hit his back. Turning around he saw Lucy and Natsu throwing pebbles at him.

"Demon pebble throw!" Lucy yelled, a pebble catching Jellal in the face.

"Shit! That hurt!" he yelled.

The two slayers high fived.

"This tower is made of crystal, right? If it gets damaged, it will lose power, I'm guessing?" Natsu's fist lit up and he smashed it into the floor, breaking it. "That's too bad for you! Mages of Fairy Tail... specialize in property damage!"

"And I'm the Ishgar Demon, Anywhere I go ends up a pile of rubble!" Lucy yelled, igniting herself so bright both mages quickly shut their eyes so as not to blind themselves. When they finally can open them the sight before them is jaw dropping. Over half of the tower had been decimated by Lucy's power.

"Holy shit Luce, have you been holding back this entire time?" Natsu says slightly frightened.

"Yeah, I was hungry but then I started to absorb the celestial energy from the stars, and Virgo packed a piece of celestial food in my pouch, add your fire into the mix and I'm pretty pumped…well that's a lie I'm still pretty tired since I still have a hole in my stomach…" Lucy mumbled.

"That's alright I'll take it from here! I'm still in the mood to fight." Natsu grinned. "I've never felt better in my life!"

"You little punks!" Jellal grit his teeth in fury. "I'm going to finish you in an instant. You're going to regret getting up again when I send you to hell!"

"I've got confidence in my stubbornness and with Lucy by my side you can't beat us." Natsu shot back. "Come get me if you can."

Jellal screamed in fury and sent a set of dark blasts at Natsu, who dodged easily.

"Come on!" The Dragon Slayer cackled. "That all ya got?"

The next shot went to catch him dead on but luckily Lucy pulled him out of the way with her hellfire whip.

"Shit Luce, that actually burned me!" Natsu whined, still thankful she saved him from getting hit.

"Told ya didn't I…Celestial fire burns hotter than any fire on Earthland" Lucy grumbled, as she kicked Jellal in the face away from Natsu.

"You're a monster Luce" he laughed, before looking back to Jellal, " And you! are you holding back cause you're afraid to damage your precious tower?" He panted, trying to hide how tired he was. "Because I mean it's already pretty much gone thanks to Lucy!" Natsu said laughing as Lucy shot a peace sign.

"Don't get too cocky, you brat!" Jellal yelled, blasting the two with another shot.

"Natsu, Lucy!" Erza yelled, having just woken up.

Even as they skidded back, Natsu prepared another attack. "Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" He yelled, creating another deep hole in the tower.

"Hey Natsu, wanna see a new move I made up?" Lucy smirked.

"Hell yeah!" he yelled, shielding his eyes when he saw her body begin to burn bright.

"Scarlet Demons Raging Blaze!" Lucy yelled, blowing an identical hole in the tower.

"Holy-

* * *

"Did Lucy really name another move after me" Erza said blushing.

Jellal's eyes were wide with fury. "My tower... I spent eight years building it." He sneered. "Unforgivable!"

"Natsu, Lucy..." Erza whispered, watching the two heavily breathing mages. "You two can barely even stand..."

A whirlwind tore through the battlefield as Jellal began to gather energy.

"What is this?" Erza gaped. "The shadows are reaching towards the light?"

"Enough! I just need to take you out and the other one will fall soon after" Jellal yelled referring to Natsu. "Fall into the endless darkness, you idiot slayer!" Jellal roared.

Erza stepped in front of Natsu. "Are you going to kill me?" She challenged him. "Zeref's revival requires the body of a strong wizard as sacrifice, right?"

"That's true." Jellal narrowed his eyes. "The conditions require a body with enough magic power to match one of the Wizard Saints. However, at this point it no longer has to be you specifically!"

Erza's eyes widened.

"The two of you are going to be smashed to bits!" Jellal proclaimed, holding up a huge sphere of black energy.

"Erza!" Natsu shouted. "Get behind me!"

"Don't worry, Natsu." Erza smiled. "I'll protect you!"

"Erza!"

"Heavenly Magic." Jellal laughed in victory. "Altairis!"

The huge blast shot at them. Natsu cursed as he tried to move in front of Erza, only to stagger weakly as his feet failed him, fatigue from the ongoing battle finally hitting him.

"Erza!" He roared desperately.

Before the blast could hit them however Lucy jumped in front of them arms crossed taking the full brunt of the blast with a determined look on her face.

"Mate...Natsu" Lucy chuckled, as she turned her face towards the two people she's come to trust like family. "Can't believe you left me out of this equation to protect you two idiots" Lucy grimaces.

Natsu tried to stay awake to berate Lucy for doing something so foolish but after his fight and taking such a beating, he just couldn't. He was honestly surprised Lucy still had the energy to take such a blast with all her injuries.

Erza's eyes widened as she took in Lucy's condition. The front of her torso began bleeding heavily, most likely from exertion, while her arms, while still crossed seem burnt with blood dripping.

"Lucy! You idiot, why didn't you just use your shield spell!" The redhead yelled.

"Told ya didn't I? I have to be focused when using it otherwise it could be harmful rather than helpful, and I didn't feel like wasting my magic on it right now" Lucy smirked, uncrossing her badly damaged arms, "Besides it was either let you get hit and die, or I take the hit"

"And kill yourself!" Erza screams as Lucy.

"Pfft, as if a hit like that could take me out" Lucy said, despite all the damage she had taken Erza realized Lucy was still managing to smile.

Erza held her tears looking away, not wanting to show any signs of weakness, until Lucy went towards the scarlet mage.

"I'll always protect you idiot". Lucy said, somehow despite how beaten she looked she still managed to make the moment romantic.

"I know, and I hate it" Erza said, softly.

"Touching" Jellal drawled, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "I'm rather surprised, even after all that you were still able to take a hit like that, I'm honestly shocked you're not dead right now. I mean seriously your blood is literally covering this entire floor right now, you should've bled out already. You are defying death" he says as he watches the blood pool around the Wizard Saint panting while holding Erza behind her back.

"You almost killed Erza and Natsu, now I'm mad" Lucy said, her eyes darkening, and red markings appearing on her right arm as well as face. The amount of magic power beginning to suffocate all three mages in the tower.

"Lucy calm down! Your magical container is practically empty, and by the looks of it the amount you're going to use could kill you." Erza pleads.

Lucy glances at Erza with a smile, "That'd be true. If I had used up my second origin too Scarlet." Lucy said enjoying the look of shock on her mate's face when she reveals her secret.

"You've already unlocked your second origin?' Erza gasped. "And you didn't use it this entire time!"

"Of course, I have, I'm a wizard saint… and I didn't feel the need to" Lucy laughs grimacing at the movement. "Now mate, I have a request for you" Lucy said with the utmost seriousness in her voice."

"Yes?'

"Get the hell out of here".

"What, but we can't leave you! This place can explode any second-

"Erza please". Lucy growled, her eyes darkening.

The Knight mage gasped having never heard Lucy call her by her actual name in such a way. It felt weird if she were honest.

"Are you kidding me, do you really think I'd be so kind as to let my sacrifice leave this tow-oomph" before he could even finish his sentence Lucy was already sending him soaring through numerous pillars. Her speed multiplying tenfold, as if she was never even injured.

"I see you're being stubborn." Lucy said.

"Of course I'm stubborn, you're practically killing yourself!" Erza shouted.

"Tsk, please I'm Lucifer's daughter it'll take more than a blueberry haired demon possessed freak to take me out" Lucy glared, "Besides..." Lucy said grinning.

Erza could already tell she was going to hate her next words.

"You said you're falling for me, so obviously I have to make it back so I can win you over officially" she said, trying to hide the pain racking through her body with her signature dopey grin.

Erza froze at Lucy's words, not having thought she would've heard her, but not hating it either.

Erza merely grit her teeth. "Promise you won't die, you stupid demon."

"With a kiss?" Lucy said mischievously.

"Don't push your luck" Erza said before she felt herself being lifted along with Natsu.

Lucy smiled at her mate leaving before turning back to Jellal who had finally managed to get up.

* * *

"Happy?" she asked.

"Not Happy, Piri, Piri. Gemini. Miss Lucy requested we take you out of here before she finishes the fight" the spirit said somberly, preparing to lift off.

"Gemini. What are the odds of Lucy making it out?" Erza asked.

Tears flowed from the woman's eye as the spirits continued to fly her to her friends unable to answer her question.

* * *

"You truly are an idiot!" Jellal cackled. " This changes nothing! No one will leave this tower alive!"

"Shut up!" Lucy roared angered at seeing her mate leave, even if it was by force.

Moving quickly, she went and smashed his face into the floor hard enough she was pretty sure she broke his nose as she saw blood dripping down.

Feeling her power surging through her body Lucy called upon Loke, who then helped her out with defense while she went on offense.

As Jellal got a few hits in Lucy got double those, the fight going on for too long in Lucy's opinion, forcing her to activate her demon force.

* * *

Meanwhile Gemi-happy had found where Gray and the others were and once gently dropping them off the twins disappeared before Erza could say anything to them.

"Erza! What the hell, where's Lucy?"

Erza wiped her tears, as she quickly explained what happened. When Natsu awoke it would only be when the tower of Heaven had exploded, and Lucy was already gone.

* * *

Once Lucy had fully activated her demon force, fire erupted around herself, taking the shape of a demon. Grinning devilishly, Lucy turned to glare at Jellal as her body was covered in even more markings.

Seeing Lucy's immense power boost caused Jellal to pale, her movements while already faster were accelerated as well as powered up.

"It's all because of you!" The girl shouted, smashing Jellal through several floors. "You're the one that made Erza cry and you're the reason she felt like she had to almost die to save us!"

"I made a promise..." Lucy stated, continuing to crash through crystal. " to always protect her!"

"Shut up!" Jellal shot back. "Meteor!"

"You can never match my speed!" He observed, shooting upwards. Lucy kicked off the ground, landing a vicious uppercut in Jellal's gut.

"Impossible!" Jellal coughed. "I cannot be defeated! I will create a land of freedom!"

He roared maniacally. "I am the only one who can sense Zeref's presence! I am the chosen one! Together with Zeref, I will create a nation of true freedom!"

"The hell if you think I'll let you do that!" Lucy countered angrily.

"The will to change the world is enough to turn the wheels of history!" Jellal proclaimed, creating a large magic seal in the sky. "Why can't you fools understand that?"

"What the hell is that?" Lucy said as she looked up.

"Abyss break" Loke said, after having showed up with his own power, surprised the man would use such thing. "Do you even care about this tower?"

"Give me another eight years... no, this time five will be enough." Jellal grinned. "Zeref... just wait a while longer."

"You're never going to find freedom!" Lucy roared, flying towards him, kicking him in the stomach causing pain to flair in the wound he had gotten earlier, distracting him and causing the seal to vanish. "There is no freedom for a guy who lets some stupid ghost manipulate him!"

Jellal paled as the Lucy in his vision got replaced by what he assumed was a real demon.

"Free yourself from this, Jellal!" Lucy shouted, knocking him into the structure savagely and bringing it crashing down on him. The man screamed in agony as the force of the blow sent him smashing down every floor until he landed in the sea under it. That last blow ridding the demonic power from inside Jellal.

"It's always a sight to see the Ishgar demon's true power..." Loke said with a smile. "The true power of a Demon Slayer."

"I defeated Jellal. For you Erza... Your dumb battle is over."

Lucy turned to Loke and grinned, before collapsing from exhaustion.

"Lucy" Loke shot towards him, engulfing her tired form in a hug. "You are absolutely incredible, princess" Loke said, "Lucifer would be proud."

"Ya think?"

"I know" Loke said, before almost falling due to the towers tremors which erupted, and several beams of light bursting out of it.

* * *

"Don't tell me Etherion's power has gone unstable!" Gray exclaimed as the escapees watched the scene unfold.

"Unstable?" Milliana shrieked.

"Just storing all that magical energy in one place in dangerous..." Happy observed.

"And all that magical power has nowhere to go." Juvia added. "It's going to erupt in a gigantic explosion."

"What about Lucy and Jellal? Sho panicked.

"There's no point talking about saving Lucy." Gray scowled. "Because every single one of us is doomed."

"No, Lucy will find a way back! She's the Ishgar Demon! She promised she'd find her way back to me!" Erza said forcefully to the others.

The others shocked at Erza reaction.

* * *

Loke picked up Lucy readying themselves to leave when she pulled his sleeve smiling.

"Loke" ... She grit her teeth. "We can't leave...

"What-what are you talking about? This place is about to blow, we have to leave now, or we'll go with it!" Loke said trying to get through his master's thick head.

Lucy nodded sadly as she stood up on shaky legs. Putting one arm on her trusted spirits shoulders before walking over to the lacrima crystal.

"Lucy, what are you doing?" Loke said panic clear in his voice.

"Loke, when I went to Fairy Tail, I didn't have very many expectations. But then I found friends, family, a mate who I found out has started falling for me and honestly, I was the happiest I had been in a long time. I can't let them get hurt from this tower thing exploding when there was a chance, I could've stopped it."

"What are you saying?" Loke croaked.

"Lucifer always said one huge heroic thing is better than 12 small ones".

"Princess…please don't".

Slowly Lucy pushed her arm in the lacrima crystal

"Look at that Loke... at least somethings accepting me" Lucy said cracking a joke.

Loke couldn't help but laugh at his master poor attempt at mating humor.

"Mavis, you're so bad at jokes, Lucy" Loke said tears clear in his eyes beneath his glasses.

"Goodbye Loke" Lucy said as her body was enveloped by the crystal her last view a broken smile from her most trusted spirit.

"Goodbye princess."

* * *

The tower exploded upwards, unable to harm anyone, cheers from the boat until they realized they still were missing one person.

"There it goes!" Wally shouted. Milliana wailed in fear and clung to him for dear life.

"Lucy..." Gray stared at the energy,

"It's gone..." Simon muttered as no trace of the tower and the island remained. "It's all gone..."

"That dumb demon" Erza cried.

Natsu right beside Erza staring aimlessly at where the tower once was with his best friend.

* * *

Lucy slowly opened her eyes to see the one person she had been missing for several long years. Tears began to flow down her face as she ran to the demon hopping on the demons back for a hug.

"I missed you so much, Luce!"

"I know little demon. I missed you too. I've seen you've taken all my training to heart."

"To find you Luce...why'd ya leave me" Lucy cried.

"Somethings just need to be done for a person to grow little demon".

"You forgot about me, didn't you?" Lucy deadpanned.

Lucifer let out gruff laugh. "That would be the last reason I ever leave you my little demon, I could never forget about you."

"Well, then why'd ya wait so long to let me see ya?" Lucy asked, "Are you dead and I'm just dreaming this?" Lucy said saddened by the idea. "Or am I dead and I'm dreaming this?"

Lucifer stayed quiet for a moment before answering. "Little demon either way you're dreaming this, just the other one of us is dead", he chuckled.

"Oh. Then if you're not dead, where are ya?" Lucy asked.

Lucifer stared at his little demon smiling softly at the annoying little shit. He knew he couldn't tell her just yet what happened to him. If he did she'd break down and leave her guild, something he didn't want to happen.

"Don't worry lil demon, I'm actually not that far from you, but it's not time for us to reunite."

"What the heck kinda answer is that!", Lucy asked with tears in her eyes.

"It's a good one in my opinion."

'No, it's not you dumb demon!"

"Yes it is, you dumb little demon!" Lucifer yelled. "Grr, listen little demon. The decision to leave you behind was not one I chose lightly, and while I can't, or rather won't, reveal why just yet, know this… You've made me very proud."

Lucy felt hot tears begin to fall from her eyes at the words from her father, "Luce."

"And nice catch with your mate."

The last words spoken before Lucy's world went blank.

* * *

Lucy opened her eyes again to an empty space with no sign of Lucifer. As she searched the area, she realized she was floating indicating that she was most likely dead.

"Where the hell am I!" Lucy said panicking as she couldn't control her movements and began spinning in the empty space getting motion sickness.

"I'm dead, how do I still have...blurh. motion sickness!"

She was in the middle of throwing up when something caught her attention. "Oh..." She watched a crowd of black-clad people gathered around a monument. "So, I'm dead and people are worshipping me now…sweet!"

"Lucy Heartfilia..." Makarov started. "She was, well a person who didn't know what personal space was, had the education of a third grader, and an immense appetite-

"Is this a funeral or a roast!" Lucy yelled.

"Despite all that she was the Ishgar Demon, a girl who spent years keeping an entire continent safe from dark guilds and becoming a wizard saint before most people become a S-class mage. She barely knew us when she joined, yet she protected every one of us like we were family.

"She never failed to walk into this guild with a dopey smile." Makarov announced. "And in doing so she became the light of our guild. Whether she knew it or not."

Makarov wiped his nose, regaining his composure.

Lucy wiped her eyes, "Man, that was so beautiful!" Looking to her grave she read her inscription.

Lucy Heartfilia the Ishgar Demon: X766~X784.

The guild took a moment to chuckle, one woman wiping away tears for her regret of never accepting the offer from the woman who sacrificed herself for the team.

"Stop messing around!" Natsu shouted. "What the hell do you all think you're doing?"

Gray grit his teeth as Natsu kicked a bunch of flowers off the monument. "Why, you..."

" Lucy isn't dead!" Natsu wailed. "There's no way she would die! She's the Ishgar Demon of Fairy Tail"

"Get off me!" He struggled against Gray and Elfman, who forced him to the ground. "She's alive!"

"Natsu" Erza said as she walked up to the dragon slayer crying on the floor. Wrapping the boy in a hug she shared in his hurt also sad at losing someone who had grown so close to them in such a short amount of time.

Lucy watched the scene below her unfold, scratching the back of her head. She felt awkward watching those she grew close to cry for her.

"What a drag, man. I did this for them...to live on and all they seem to be doing is crying for me. Tsk".

She watched as more and more people began crying. 'Ughh, this isn't the future I was hoping to leave behind, hell I don't even know what I was expecting but it sure as hell isn't this", she growled.

"YOU BARELY KNEW ME..." She yelled. "STOP CRYING FOR SOMEONE YOU BARELY KNEW" she begged. "Move on and live your damn lives! Lucifer would hate that I caused all of you this much trouble" she whispered. "I want to see you guys smile like I do".

She rubbed her faced angrily as a light began to shine on her, "I could never hate you, little demon".

* * *

Lucy's eyes immediately open when she hears that, oh so familiar voice, only to notice the moon. "Uh, where am I?"

"Lucy!" Erza called as the entire group from the tower ran up to her. "Thank Mavis you're okay, you dumb demon!"

"Don't make us worry like that, dammit!" Gray scowled.

"What the heck, I could of swore I died..." Lucy said confused. "How did I..."

She looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Loke holding her in his arms with a determined frown and eyes shadowed by his hair.

"Loke, but we said goodbye to each other..." She said, really confused now. "How did you?"

"Aquarius would've never let me hear the end of it, had I let you die" Loke joked, dropping to his knees but holding on securely. "And you still need to find Lucifer remember…we still need to find Lucifer" he said with a smile.

Lucy looked around at the happy and relieved faces.

"Don't. Don't do that again, Lucy" Loke shook his head. "We, the spirit world, could never handle being without you."

"You got it." Lucy smiled. "Thanks, Loke."

I really am a dumb demon, she thought, watching Natsu wipe away tears, Gray and Juvia smile at her appearance and even Erza smile at her despite crying.

* * *

"…"

Gray sweat dropped, watching a heavily bandaged Lucy sleep. "Is Lucy really ok? I mean I know she's been through stuff probably worst then this but, this is a little much don't you think?"

"Aye!" Happy nodded. "She's been sleeping for three days straight now!" He looked to Natsu who smirked and nodded his head.

"Hey, Lucy! Erza's naked and wants to accept your claim now." Natsu yelled.

Erza pinched the brim of her noise before tossing Happy and Natsu out the window. "If that wakes her up, she's going next." She said turning to glance at Lucy.

Gray and Erza yelped at the blonde who was currently sitting up despite being heavily bandaged.

"Uh, Lucy…ahem are you okay?" Erza asked.

"Happy said you were naked and ready to accept my claim…he lied, didn't he?" Lucy said her toothy grin, turning to a pout.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Whatever I'm going to get something to eat then" Lucy yawned walking to find something to eat.

"I'll admit from what Loke told me, Lucy had activated her demon force, putting in mind she had emptied her first origin thus using about half of her second origin it only makes sense she be so tired. I mean she may be a wizard saint be even they have limits.

"Yeah, still can't believe what Loke said..." Gray sighed. "This girl gets more and more like a demon every time I see her".

Erza smirked. "Are you really one to talk?"

"I caused all of you so much trouble in this incident." She mused, glancing at Lucy's bandaged limbs and stomach. "I just don't know what to say..."

"Shaddup" Lucy mumbled as she walked back in, flinching slightly as her stomach flared in pain. Already figuring she was going to have a scar there and on her palm from where she grabbed Erza's sword.

"That reminds me." Erza noticed. "Lucy, how in the world were you able to survive all that damage from Jellal and the blast?"

"I wasn't lying when I said I've gone through far worst Scarlet" Lucy observed, causing jaws to drop. "Compared to the mages in Alvarez, Jellal was a cake walk, despite how I look." The girl shrugged, as everyone's jaw dropped.

"Don't ask me how I survived the blast though, I've got no idea how I got through that...pure luck on my part I guess" Lucy said with a grin that didn't match her bandaged face.

"Damn Lucy, what have you been through in Alvarez?" Gray said.

"A lot" she answered, with a certain look that neither mage couldn't decipher.

"Okay…that brings me to another point." Erza turned to Gray. "What happened to that Element Four mage?"

"Juvia?" Gray raised an eyebrow. "Oh, she left already. She said she wanted to join Fairy Tail as soon as possible, so she ran off to find Gramps."

"I see..." Erza sighed. "She helped us out a lot, so I would have liked to be there to back her up."

Gray frowned. "Shouldn't you be resting as well, Erza?"

"I can't say I've taken enough damage to be a cause for concern." Erza smirked. "I'm just happy to be alive is all."

"Yeah, that's true, you're not nearly as bad as flame brain who went off and practically used up all their magic while having a hole in their stomach and multiple broken bones" Gray scoffed.

"I'm still alive and breathing, aren't I Fullbuster?" Lucy whispered pulling his face to hers.

Gray's jaw dropped. "Sorry!"

The group exchanged glances, before bursting into loud laughter.

Wally rubbed his head sheepishly. "Um, yeah... sorry about all the trouble we caused, Erza."

"Meow!" Milliana nodded. "Sorry, Er-chan."

Erza shook her head. "I'm the one who should apologize to you guys. I didn't do anything to help you for eight years..."

"You were threatened by Jellal!" Sho protested. "You had to stay away from us in order to keep us safe from him!"

"I can't use excuses like that." Erza frowned.

*Whack*

The room went silent as everyone stared at the annoyed looking demon slayer, who was holding her injured hand she had just used to slap Erza.

"Already told you Erza, you did what you needed to do to keep your kin safe, so stop blubbering about it" Lucy mumbles walking back to the couch she was laying on, Natsu on her heels after coming back in from the window he was thrown out of.

"I always believed in you, Erza." Simon observed. "And I never stopped trying to protect you from him... because I lo-"

"Listen up metal jaw giant, I thought I already told you she was my mate, so back off" Lucy said having practically teleported to where Simon and Erza were.

Simon looked to Erza for confirmation, only to receive an apologetic shrug.

"Simon, I know" Erza replied after kicking Lucy out the hotel room window. "I know exactly how you feel about me, Simon. And it hurts to say it, but I can't return those feelings."

Simon looked down, disappointed, having expected that.

"Was it Jellal?" he asked.

* * *

While Erza had kicked Lucy far out the hotel window, thanks to her excellent hearing she was still in distance to hear Erza say yes, slightly hurting the blonde's feelings.

That is until she remembered the words Erza told her before she went to fight Jellal causing a smile to erupt on her face and cause any feelings of jealousy to disappear.

"I kinda figured..." Simon gave a small smile. "But what about Lucy?"

Erza simply sighs waving her hand in the air, "It's a work in progress." Wally burst into loud laughter.

"Really Erza, cause I coulda swore you were crying for Lucy when the tower was about to explode and even said she promised to find her way back to you" Happy said snickering.

"I have no idea what you're talk- "

"What's this about Erza crying for me" Lucy said throwing an arm around Erza and pulling her close to her.

"I said nothing of the sort!" Erza yelled before slamming the blonde on the ground.

"I love you too mate" Lucy said.

* * *

"Uh, yes well, the fact remains that we have no place to go now." Simon turned to the others.

"Why don't you all join Fairy Tail?" Erza suggested.

Sho, Wally, Milliana and Simon exchanged uncertain looks.

"It may not be the freedom you were searching for, but there is more than enough of it in Fairy Tail." Erza grinned.

"Salamander said the same thing!" Wally remembered, warming up to the idea.

"Besides, I'd love to have you guys around." Erza added.

* * *

"Lucy!" Erza barged into the blonde's room where she was asleep. "Have you seen Simon, Sho, Wally, and Milliana?"

"Leave me alone mate, I'm asleep."

"Lucy please, my friends are gone, and I can't find them..." Erza sighed.

Lucy hearing the sadness in her mates' voice merely sniffed the air before pointing to the beach.

"So that's what they've decided."

* * *

Wally sighed and leaned against their boat. "Do you really think we'll be fine in the outside world?"

"We don't have a choice." Sho told him. "We have to. We can't cause any more trouble for sister."

The two boys slowly pushed the boat into the sea.

"Now let's go." Simon ordered. "Before they notice we're gone!"

The group turned to face Erza who had just called out to them. "Too late."

"Don't bother trying to stop us!" Sho commanded. "We lived our whole lives in that tower, now we're trying to go out and see the outside world!" He clenched his fists. "We want to live our lives for ourselves... to seek out the things we really want to do! That's the freedom we've been looking for!"

Erza smiled. "With determination like that, I don't doubt you'll accomplish whatever you set your minds to. However," She requipped into a more impressive suit of armor. "There are three rules every leaving member of Fairy Tail needs to hear, so listen up!"

Their jaws dropped.

"One!" Erza shouted. "You must never reveal any sensitive information about Fairy Tail to outsiders, not as long as you live!"

"Two!" She plunged a large flag into the sand. "You must never use clients you met during your service to the guild for personal gain!"

"What's a 'client'?"

"Three!" Erza grit her teeth. "Though are paths will differ from here on out, you must always live out your lives to the fullest!" She announced. "Never consider your life to be insignificant! Never in your lives can you forget the friends you held dear!"

She raised her sword to the sky. "Let the Fairy Tail send-off... begin!"

"See you guys again sometime!" Natsu cheered. He then spat out several fireballs that exploded, brightly visible against the night sky.

"Don't forget the ice!" Gray smirked, creating a hail of ice crystals that was in sharp contrast with the fire.

Lucy simply shrugged from where she lay on the ground shooting golden sparks from her fist, being too injured to do much else.

"Honestly, I would like to stay with you guys forever..." Erza whispered as they observed the lights. "However, if it would mean I was holding you back... then I just want to wish you well on your journey. No matter what, I will never forget any of you. Besides... those painful memories are what helps us make it to tomorrow and grow stronger."

* * *

Lucy noticed how her mate was too occupied whispering to herself to really notice anything else and with that an idea came to mind.

" _Don't do it brat" Aquarius warned, already knowing what Lucy was going to do._

" _Do it, princess!" Loke yelled._

" _I'm gonna do it"_ Lucy grinned, as she snuck behind Erza who was still in the middle of her speech.

* * *

"Walk tall." She boomed. "And I too shall walk tall, always looking ahe-mmph" Erza's eyes widened as she felt someone grab her face to kiss her, stopping her from continuing to speak.

When she finally got her wits together Erza saw that it was the bane of her existence, who had grabbed hold of her cheeks to kiss her and was still at it. Surprising both Lucy and she however, she had deepened the kiss, enjoying the warmness emitting from Lucy's body.

"Go Lucy!" Gray whistled.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Natsu cheered, happy for his friend to have finally gotten a kiss from Erza, unknown to him she had stolen it from Erza.

* * *

Lucy had decided that the best course of action to speed up her and Erza's courting ritual was to sneak up on her mate to steal the kiss she had deprived her of before the fight with Jellal. So far from what she was experiencing Erza was enjoying it since she hadn't been punched yet and her mate deepened the kiss.

That is until Erza realized what she was doing and who she was doing it with and sent Lucy flying with an armored fist to the gut.

"Worth it" Lucy yells, as Natsu and Happy hurry after their friend, all three missing Erza touch her lips and smile.

"Dumb demon" she whispers walking off, a small smile on her face.

* * *

"Whoa" Lucy grinned, looking up at the huge building with an arm thrown over Erza, who didn't even try to toss Lucy off since she was still slightly injured. Or at least that was the excuse she was giving Gray and Natsu.

"They finished it already. The new Fairy Tail building!"

Gray blinked. "We have an open-air cafe now?"

"And a souvenir shop by the entrance." Erza observed. "Hello, Max."

"Take a look!" The sand user waved them over. "We have Fairy Tail shirts, wristbands, mugs and towels, even special lacrima crystals! But the best items we have are these mage figures!" He pulled out a Makarov figure and a Natsu one.

"Hey, look!" Happy held out a figure of Lucy. "They even have a Lucy figure!"

Lucy watched as Max pressed a button on the figure and a golden shield sprung out of her hands.

"Awesome! I'm an action figure, this will go great with the one I have of me from Alakitasia" She observed.

"Wait, you have another action figure?" Gray asked.

"Yeah, Alakitasia really liked me" Lucy said smiling, her eyes widening when she saw her mate's action figure.

"I'll take that one!" Lucy yelled grabbing Erza's figure then showing it off to Erza who blushed at the fact Lucy had bought her own action figure.

"And look I bought you my action figure that way when you miss me you can just look at this and be reminded of me!" Lucy said with a goofy grin that struck Erza's heart.

Looking away, Erza grabbed the action figure, mumbling a thanks for the gift.

* * *

"Hey, you guys!" Cana cheered, running up to them. "Come on, you gotta check out the inside!"

Natsu crossed his arms angrily. "It's not like before."

"Hey there." A waitress approached them. "Welcome to Fairy Tail."

Gray's jaw dropped. "The waitresses have new outfits!"

Lucy stared shamelessly at the waitresses too until she felt a smack on the back of her head from Erza.

"Sorry mate" Lucy said, "Hey I got an idea you should totally wear one of those outfits, so I don't ogle any of the waitresses anymore!" Lucy said, to Erza's annoyance.

"Or you could just not stare at them" Erza said.

Lucy nodded her head at Erza and shot a thumbs up, "Got it, only stare at you!", making Erza slap her forehead.

"No, you can stare at other peop-you know what fine, do what you want" she sighed.

"So, you're back." Makarov greeted them, approaching with a blue-haired girl in tow. "I'd like you to meet Juvia, our newest member!"

Gray smirked. "So, you did join, huh?"

"Yes!" The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Juvia is glad to see you all again!"

"We also have another new member." Makarov announced. "Come, introduce yourself."

The group's jaws dropped when Gajeel walked up to them. "Hmph..."

"What are you doing here?"

"Listen here Gajeel, you hurt my Levy-chan so I'm not exactly happy with you, but since you're my guild mate and you gave me some info about that fire demon, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the drought" garnering a confused glance form him and head shakes from the others.

She glanced at master who was watching her, "I see you step out of line once and your gone, know this I'm the most powerful wizard in all of Fairy Tail. The old man has nothing on me" she whispered, before letting go of the pale man.

"Got it."

* * *

"So, what's the deal?" Gajeel scowled. "Why'd you ask me to meet you out here? Make it fast, I have to get to work."

"Work?" Jet sneered. "This coming from the guy who wrecked our guild?"

"You can go do missions in any other guild!" Droy added. "Just get lost!"

"You guys sure can hold a grudge." Gajeel smirked. "Come on, guys, can't we get along?"

Levy peeked out from behind a tree. "Jet, Droy, don't... I'm over that. Really."

"I've had it." Jet glared at Gajeel. "You're ruining the guild's reputation."

"Hmph."

"You won't act so smug for long!" Jet's form blurred and he crossed the distance between them in half a second, going to kick Gajeel back before his leg was caught.

"What the hell!"

Jet looked to who had caught him, his face paling at the frowning blonde staring at both him and Droy.

"Why are you attacking another guild mate?" Lucy growled.

"Are you kidding me Lucy!" Jet yelled.

"He attacked us and hurt Levy! You of all people should hate this guy" Droy yelled.

"And I do, but we are guild mates now. Meaning we do not fight each other unless it is those lame guild fights" she said, releasing her magic she looked to the two mages,

"Apologize to Gajeel and go back inside."

"No way!" Jet and Droy yelled, "He needs to apologize to us.

"What did you say to me?" Lucy said her eyebrow quirked.

"Uh…he never apologized to Levy!"

Lucy clicked her tongue, then looked to Gajeel who was sweating at the appearance of her.

"You never apologized to my levy-chan?"

"Uh..."

"Fine, Gajeel apologize to Levy. Jet, Droy apologize to Gajeel."

Hey why don't we get an apology?"

"Because you were going to beat up Gajeel! Now apologize or I'll make you!"

"We're sorry!" the three men yelled.

Lucy looked to Levy to see if she accepted the apology and when she saw her roll her eyes and smile, she nodded, letting the three men leave.

"Thank you Lu-chan" Levy said with a smile.

"Of course, Levy anything for my lil book worm" Lucy said. The name call earning her a kick to the shin.

"Mother fu- "

* * *

Unknown to the mages a way off a burly man watched them argue, act weak, and overall make Fairy Tail look like a disgrace.

Useless! Laxus thought, Fairy Tail... this isn't the guild it should be. But that will change... once I make it mine!

* * *

ONWARDS TO THE NEXT ARC! Don't know when I'll update this one since I have other fics to do but worry not it won't be too long I just have other things. Also I found a job so that will be getting into my updating schedule too. But don't think I'm abandoning this.

People have asked for a description of Lucy: She wears a white cloak for reference think Crime Sorciere's design but in that color. she wears black jeans with combat boots and a plain sleeveless shirt, which allows you to see her fairy tail emblem on her right arm and the arm wrap on her left arm. The scar on her face is like yamcha's from dragonball, the x scar on his cheek. Her hair is held in one side ponytail as canon but that's about it when it comes to canon looks. And as of now she has a scar on her palm from grabbing the sword from Erza. Hope you guys don't hate this description of Lucy too much, but just a reminder this is a different Lucy not the one raised to like skirts and stuff.


	21. Welcome to the Battle of Fairy Tail!

Lucy woke up in a sweat, nightmares of the Tower of heaven exploding with her still in it, causing her to lose her mate and all her friends were going through her head.

"I can't sleep Plue, what do I do?" Lucy whined.

"Puuun, pun" the little dog spirit said.

Lucy and the little dog spirit stared at each other in silence before Lucy busted out laughing.

"Pfft, why didn't I think of that", her mood doing an entire 180 after hearing the little spirits idea.

A few minutes later and Lucy was walking beside Plue at the dawn of night to Fairy Hills in her signature cloak and Plue themed pajamas.

"I can't believe I didn't think to bunk with my mate. I mean we're practically mated, right Plue?" Lucy asked.

Plue nodded his head in agreement with his master, receiving a toothy grin in return.

* * *

 _"Nooo, what are you doing Plue! Why is he encouraging her stupidity!" Aquarius yelled._

 _Loke ignored the mermaid yelling at the spirit mirror to continue laughing on the ground thoroughly enjoying how the small spirit was being quite possibly the worst wingman ever to their master._

 _"This is gonna end up horrible" Loke laughed._

* * *

Walking the long path to their destination Lucy had Plue check off her courting ritual tasks as she counted them off.

"I mean when I compli-complan- say nice things to her she always turns red, so that's gotta mean something right Plue?"

"Puuun!"

"Yeah, totally. And plus, she always lets me hold her."

"Pun, pun" the spirit checked off from his notepad.

"And when I kissed her, she totally kissed back" Lucy said smiling goofily.

"Puuun, pun, pun!" the little dog spirit did a little dance in celebration, which Lucy appreciated.

"Well yeah, she did punch me, but she said that's her way of saying she loves me" Lucy countered.

"Pun" the spirit nodded.

"Yeah, so now I need to mark my territory at her place, then all we'll need to do is mark each other!" she fists pumped.

"Pun pun pun!" Plue copied.

As the two neared Fairy Hills Lucy easily caught her mate's scent, _hmm strawberry's,_ making their search for Erza's room easier.

"She's in the top floor. Third room to the left" Lucy relayed to her spirit, "Oh and Levy is right next to her."

"Pun, Pun?"

Lucy shrugged at the spirit, not having gotten that far in her planning. "Well, I guess the best way to go about this is to just do as Luce said and break in."

* * *

" _He said don't break in!" Aquarius yelled, slapping Loke for laughing at their master's stupidity._

* * *

Slowly opening Erza's window Lucy slipped into the room undetected.

"Ninja power" Lucy whispered.

Venturing further in her mate's apartment, Lucy saw that she was already asleep, so being the thoughtful mate Luce taught her to be she carefully tossed her shoes off, and carefully climbed into bed Erza without waking her up.

"Night Plue" Lucy whispered as the spirit disappeared into the spirit world where he would get scolded by Aquarius for encouraging Lucy's behavior.

Once comfortable Lucy scooted closer to Erza until she had the scarlet haired mage in her arms, _as if I, the daughter of Lucifer would ever be the little spoon_.

"Good night mate" Lucy whispered, nuzzling her face into her Erza's neck taking in her intoxicating scent which lulled her to sleep.

"G'night dumb demon" Erza mumbled, a small smile appearing on her face before she fell back to sleep.

* * *

Erza Scarlet, S-class mage of Fairy Tail had only one place which she could call her sanctuary. The guild as much as she loved to call it home was rowdy and always called for her attention whether it be stopping fights or causing them her attention was needed there. When on missions she was required to be at her best. It only made sense that her only moment of peace was at home which was few and far in between the constant missions she took.

She thinks about this as she wakes up with the oddest sensation that something is off. For one she doesn't remember turning on the heater, and two there seems to be a heavy weight on her stomach which she can't figure out why.

Figuring the only way she'll be able to get answers is to wake up, Erza cracks opens her eyes, her blood draining from her face. Currently splayed across her bed hugging her was the bane of her existence since their arrival at Fairy Tail . _Lucy._

Now Erza is usually very rational about things but seeing as this wasn't something, nay anything, she was used to, it was only normal that her reaction to this was to scream aloud while punching the perpetrator in the face sending them crashing into the wall.

After a few moments of no movements she realizes she may have gone over board and killed Lucy, until she hears her speak. _Next time I'll try harder_.

"Ow mate, what was that foooor?" Lucy yawned, as she pries herself off the wall and brushes her cloak clean of any plaster.

Erza rolled her eyes at the mage before answering, "You wake up spooning someone you didn't invite in bed and see if you don't react how I did."

"I have." Lucy said nonchalantly as she stretched, joints popping.

Erza refrained from smacking the girl right then and there. "Fine, but that's not the point-wait a moment...who was this?"

"Oh, Well Natsu of course! We sleep at each other places all the time, it's like impromptu slumber parties. Sometimes he sneaks into my bed to sleep or I show up to his house and sleep in his hammock. But mostly my place, last time we shared his hammock it broke because of our weight" she said with an innocent smile.

Erza slapped her face, sweat dropping at her friends answer. _I should've expected that. Two slayer peas in a pod._

"Fine, but that doesn't mean you can invade my privacy and sneak into my room!"

"M'sorry…I just had a bad dream about you still being in the tower of heaven when it exploded and needed to make sure you were still here."

Erza stared at the other girl and saw how vulnerable she looked in that moment. Seeing this side of Lucy was a shock for the S-class mage, having never seen her look so sad in all the time Lucy's been at Fairy Tail. It tore the s-class mage up now that she knew the reason for Lucy sleeping in her bed _._

 _It still doesn't excuse her breaking in and spooning me._

"Lucy" Erza sighed.

"Mate?" Lucy answered mindlessly while she continued to stare around the apartment going back to laying on Erza's bed. Her show of vulnerability now gone, in replace the dopey oblivious blonde.

"I will allow you this one pass. But unless invited, you will not enter my room without permission, understand."

"But you break into my place all the time?" Lucy said curiously.

"Yes, but-well that's different." Erza stuttered.

"How?"

"It just is!"

"I think if you can break into my place, I should be able to break into your place" Lucy said eyebrows furrowed.

"We are not negotiating about breaking into each other houses!"

"But we're mates."

"Yes, but- I mean no we're not, I mean..." pinching the brim of her nose Erza sighs, letting her shoulders sag. "That's irrelevant to the topic-

"No, it's pretty elephant if you ask me" Lucy frowned.

Erza couldn't help the lip twitch at that moment, hearing this high-powered wizard constantly screw up words was too much for her.

"Fine, whatever you can break into my home, _But only_ if you give me a heads up!"

"Got it, mate!"

"Now that we've got that over with, I'm going to go change. When I come out please be gone."

"Whatever you say mate!" Lucy repeated, before getting a mischievous look in her eye slightly worrying Erza. Without any warning Lucy pulled the scarlet haired mage in for a crushing hug, nuzzling her face in the older woman's neck, taking in the other woman's scent.

"Can I get a kiss for the road mate?" Lucy mumbled.

Erza looked at the blonde who was still hugging her and rolled her eyes.

"You're leaving my apartment not the guild. I'll see you in twenty minutes" Erza scoffed.

Lucy looked at Erza with a small pout hoping she would change her mind. While traveling with Luce as a child she was always told that her pout held power, time to see if that holds true.

Erza could only stare at Lucy for a few seconds before she broke. Baffled by the fact such a strong hardened mage could overpower her with such an adorable pout was confusing and frightening. _She has an array of arsenal at her disposal, truly I am outmatched._

"I really hate you, I hope you know that" Erza grumbled before grabbing the sides of Lucy's face and connected their lips together.

"thas oshkay" Lucy mumbled, deepening the kiss she wrapped her arms around Erza pulling her closer.

They stayed like this for a while, to the surprise of Lucy who was honestly expecting to get punched instead of a kiss. When it came time for the two to breath, Lucy was noticeably happier and grinning goofily, while Erza's cheeks were tinged pink. Before Lucy could say how great of a kisser her mate was Erza spoke.

"Tell anyone I kissed you and you can forget about courting me." Erza grumbled halfheartedly as she let her forehead touch Lucy's who still held a goofy grin. Even as she said it though, she knew her words held no truth to them.

"Got it!" Lucy said with a dopey smile practically teleporting away, leaving a speechless Erza standing in the middle of her apartment.

"Stupid demon."

* * *

Twenty minutes later and a freshly showered Erza.

"Jeez mate, you take a long time to bathe."

"Ahh, I thought I told you to leave!" Erza yells, punching Lucy into the ground.

"mmmpmppmpm" Lucy mumbles, unable to speak clearly with her face planted in the carpet floor. Looking to where Lucy was shakily pointing to, Erza turns, eyes widening when she sees a full course breakfast waiting for her in the kitchen.

Rubbing her face Erza looks to the downed blonde who had chosen, instead of getting up like a normal person, to turn over and smile up at her mate waiting for her reaction to the breakfast she brought. Feeling a bit of guilt, Erza decides to make it up to the dopey girl with a question she already knows the answer to.

"Would you like to have breakfast with me."

"Would I!" In the blink of an eye Lucy is up from her spot sitting at Erza's small kitchen table waiting for her to come and join her. Waving exuberantly towards the other Lucy hurriedly calls for Erza so they can begin to eat.

"Come on mate, the food's gonna get cold."

Erza, still trying to get over how fast Lucy got to her table mere seconds after getting pounded to the floor, just shakes her head and walks over to seat herself. As she watched Lucy serve them, she looked over the breakfast foods, surprised to see an array of foods for her. Just the smell of it was causing her to salivate.

"Lucifer told me that the way to a mate's heart is food ya know" Lucy smirked, her inner demon roaring in approval at the sight of her mate looking happy at the food.

* * *

Thirty minutes later when both have finished eating, Erza lets out a sigh in content with her stomach full, barely remembering who she just had shared such a delicious breakfast with. Face palming, she looks to see the blonde slayer already asleep snoring.

"WH-what the, she just got up, how is she sleeping already?" Erza whispers to herself.

"I can answer that" a voice says from her side, scaring the S-class mage.

"Ahh!"

Aquarius glares at the girl to shut up so as not to wake up Lucy, then begins to explain.

"She gets it from her dumb demon". Looking fondly at the woman drooling while asleep, she continues, "It's an unfortunate habit she never broke, even while we were in Alvarez" she chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"If she eats a lot right after she's just woken up then she automatically falls back asleep," chuckling softly at the sight, "Don't expect her to wake up anytime soon." Aquarius says.

"Wait what do I do with her until then?"

"Let her sleep."

Looking once more at the sound asleep blonde she made up her mind and went to lift Lucy to put her in bed to finish sleeping, only for her to fall.

"With the hell do you eat Lucy, you weigh a ton!"

* * *

Meanwhile at the guild, brawls were occurring, drinks were pouring, and conversations were going. It was an average day, according to everyone, but one bookworm who felt a presence missing from the guild. In fact, the person missing was someone who was usually so hard to miss that she couldn't believe she barely noticed until now that she wasn't here.

"Hey guys, we're missing someone" Levy pointed out.

"Oh, who would that be" Mira asked as she served drinks.

"Who else, Lucy" Levy said with a smile.

Suddenly all chatter in the guild stopped, guild brawls that were occurring were put on pause, everyone's attention going to the small mage.

"Oh, my. How did I not notice the guild doors not broken yet, or Lucy trying to claim Erza?"

"Huh, yeah, felt like something was off. Guess it was not hearing Lucy argue with Levy that semantles is a word" Gray said, sipping his beer with a frown.

"It's not, how many times do I have to tell her" she yelled, Cana rubbing her back to calm her down.

"Well, I checked Lucy's place for her, but she wasn't there, even though her bed showed signs of use" Natsu said.

One by one those in the guild began to come up with different theories of what could have happened to the dopey girl. By now she would've have banged the guild doors open and announced her love for Erza. Or at least chosen a quest to go on with Natsu.

"I know this is a long shot, but maybe Erza would know where she is?" Cana said, wincing when the guild erupted in laughter.

"Good one Cana, like Erza would actually pay attention to Lucy" Macao chuckled.

"Or know where she is!" Max laughed.

The guilds laughter dying down at the feeling of a deadly aura surrounding them. Turning around they see their topic of conversation glaring at them causing many to run away towards the farthest part of the guild.

"I'll have you know that I do pay attention to my teammates, so I do happen to know where Lucy is" she said.

Everyone going silent at her words. "Uh, right, sorry Erza. We meant no offense to you" Max and the others said.

"I'm sure." Erza said walking up to Mira and requesting her usual strawberry cake.

* * *

"So Erza, you said you know where Lucy is" Alzack said.

"I did."

"Well, where is she?"

"That is none of your concern", Erza quickly said, turning to her cake with cheeks tinged pink.

Everyone turned to each other then back to Erza eyeing the s-class mage weirdly. Any other day they would drop the subject but the way she was acting was a bit odd even for her standards.

"Well, technically she's our team mate so it kinda is" Gray said with his arms crossed.

"She is fine, she is merely- Natsu what are you doing?" Erza asked, as Natsu began to sniff her body.

"Your scent. It's off" he said rubbing his chin.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Erza stuttered red faced.

"Well you have your scent on you, but then you have another scent on you. It's familiar but I can't identify it" Natsu said.

Erza's face dropped as Natsu revealed his findings to everyone, growing more nervous at the fact Natsu knew that she was around another person. However she was almost positive he knew it was Lucy's but was being polite by not addressing it.

"Holy crap, that's Lucy's scent on you!" Natsu yelled, causing the guild to go in an uproar.

 _Why did I ever think Natsu would be nice enough to hold back information that would embarrass me?_

"Oh my, Erza did you let Lucy claim you?" Mira asked red faced.

Gasps were heard all around at Mira's accusation, everyone assuming the same thing now that Natsu had announced that Erza had the blondes' scent on her. Erza having not yet spoken about the fact only spurred many of the guild members to let their thoughts run wild. Erza couldn't help but want to slap Mira and Natsu for causing such drama.

" _Why didn't I just stay in bed…oh right Lucy's there."_

"Well Erza, my dear. Did you let Lucy claim you?" Makarov asked with a huge grin.

Erza understanding that no one was going to leave her alone until she answered shook her head. "No, I did not. Nor did we mate or do any other weird thing slayers do" she growled, holding back the urge to pull her hair.

Everyone looked to Natsu for confirmation.

"She's telling the truth." Natsu said frowning, still curious as to why his friend smelled like his best friend.

"Still playing hard to get, eh Erza" Cana slurred.

"That's alright, Lucy seems to be in for the long haul" Macao cackled. The guild joining in on the fun soon after.

"I never even asked to participate" Erza mumbled.

* * *

"I still don't get why Lucy's scent is all over you if she didn't claim you?"

"Probably because she slept in my bed last night and then hugged me before going to get us breakfast" she drawled, facepalming when she realized just how much she revealed.

"Ooooooh, Erza let Lucy sleep in her bed" someone sung.

"No. I didn't actually. The dumb demon broke into my room and hopped into my bed after having a bad dream. She then brought breakfast because and I quote "Lucifer said the way to a mate's heart is through food"" Erza recited in her best Lucy's voice.

"Aww, that's so sweet. Who knew someone who makes up words daily could be so romantic" Levy cooed.

"Man, I gotta get some tips from Lucy on how to get a girl."

"Same!"

"Me too"

"If she can win over Erza, then she's gotta be doing something right!"

Slowly all the men in Fairy Tail began to talk about Lucy's skills to romance _the Erza Scarlet_ much to Erza's ire. But since she couldn't refute their words they continued to speak freely.

"Dumb demon" Erza mumbled as she ate a piece of cake.

"Hey Erza, got any idea when Lucy's gonna come to the guild today I got this cool mission I wanna do with her!" Natsu said excitedly.

Erza chuckled before answering. "Actually, from what her spirit told me she won't be coming until tomorrow."

"What the heck why?"

"She exerted all her energy getting up. Right after she ate such a big breakfast, she fell right back to sleep. Caught the habit from her demon apparently" Erza shrugged.

The entire guild went quiet at Erza's explanation then began to burst into laughter.

"Man, our strongest guild member sure is lazy!"

"No kidding, she barely gets up then has to go back to bed!"

"Luce is one of a kind" Natsu said with a smile.

"Wait, so does that mean you left her at your apartment" Cana smirking.

Erza sighed having known someone would ask this question. "Yes, I did, I had nowhere else to take her."

"Uh, what about her place?" Gray asked.

"Are you kidding me, have you even tried carrying Lucy, she weighs a ton" Erza said incredulous.

"Oh, come on. She looks like a toothpick, she can't weigh that much?" Macao said.

"You've obviously never tried picking up the celestial mage."

"Erza's right. Lucy's pretty heavy for someone who looks so light. Happy could barely carry her" Natsu said with a goofy grin.

"What the heck?" the entire guild thought.

* * *

"Man, that was a great sleep" Lucy said tiredly. After Erza had left Lucy had continued to sleep until finally gaining enough energy to get up and move to her own apartment. Once she had gathered her cloak and shoes, she jumped out of Erza's window and headed home, oblivious to the horrified faces of Levy and Laki after having seen a person fall from the top floor of their building. Immediately going straight to her apartment to sleep, Lucy washed up then brushed her teeth, before climbing into her bed. However as soon as she got into bed, she felt a body right beside her.

Lucy smiled at the sight of Natsu and Happy already asleep, " Sleepover!"

"Hey Lushie, we've been waiting for you, but you took too long to show up, so we went ahead and got into bed." Happy yawned rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry about that Happy, I was napping at Erza's. So, guess tonight's sleepover is at my place?" Lucy smiled.

"Yup!" Happy smiled.

"Awesome! Let me get my pajamas so I can get to bed. I'm still pretty tired".

"Aye sir," Happy agreed, before heading back to bed.

She then yawned as she padded back into the room changed, " Goodnight Happy."

"Night Lushie." Happy smiled plopping down on the pillow while the blonde lay down next to Natsu who then took hold of Lucy's wrist pulling her into him.

"Night Lucy."

"Night Natsu."

* * *

 **Morning**

There were people bustling around excited for Magnolia Harvest, as were some of the other guild members. Decorations hung everywhere and the children around the area were eager for festivities to start.

Erza sighed as she walked with Lucy hanging off her who kept whining about wanting some food, "Food…" she groaned.

"Pun!" Plue said.

"Hungry…mate feed me." Lucy kept groaning.

"You're an adult you can feed yourself" Erza ordered.

"But you're my mate! And mates feed each other! I didn't even have a mate back in Alvarez and people fed me!"

"Well la-dee-da that was then, and this is now" Erza said while she held Lucy by her collar then pushing her away and walking off.

Lucy pouted before walking off in search of someone who would feed her.

Gray watched them part ways with a sigh, Natsu, Happy and Juvia joining him, "Why do I feel like Lucy's going to do something extremely stupid causing Erza to get extremely jealous?"

"Because Lucy's' gonna and Erza will" Natsu answered.

"That's reassuring." Gray told them.

"How long have I been gone for Erza to have someone making her jealous?" a man chuckled from behind them.

"Hey, Warren, it's been awhile!" Gray greeted.

"Didn't think I'd make it back in time for the festival but here I am." he smiled. "Now back to my main question, how long have I been gone that Erza has someone making her jealous?"

Gray laughed, "Long enough, I'll tell you that much."

Juvia bowed wanting to meet her love's friends, "Hello I'm new to Fairy Tail. My names Juvia."

"Ah! So, you're the one I've been hearing about." Warren smiled.

"Meet Warren Rocko," Gray introduced, "He's a master of telepathy magic."

"It's nice to meet ya." Warren greeted.

"Thank you, the pleasures, all mine." Juvia smiled then looked around, "This festival is quite a sight."

"Shyeah, festive isn't?" Lucy said reappearing, munching on food she suddenly had in hand.

"Well yeah, it's a pretty big deal; people come all around to see the Fantasia Parade." Warren told them.

"Cool! Can't wait until I watch it up close" Lucy said excitedly.

"Lucy, you're in the parade remember?" Gray reminded.

She looked at Gray for a few minutes, "I am?"

Gray and Warren looked at the Demon slayer/ Celestial Mage.

"Uh, yeah remember you and Master spoke about it, but you said you'd only be on one if Erza was on it too" Gray chuckled.

"Oh! Yeah now I remember. No, I don't" Lucy said.

"Look don't worry about it until later" Gray sighed. "What about the beauty pageant are you entering that?"

"A contest, against love rival! Then I must enter it and win!" Juvia said butting in.

Gray sweat-dropped, "Lucy didn't even say if she would be in it."

Lucy nodded, "He's right, I'm not gonna be in it. I'm gonna be in the front rows cheering my mate on so she can beat you!"

"Ha, can't say I didn't expect that!" Natsu said laughing.

"That's right, whenever there's a competition Erza get's this weird glint in her eyes and becomes super competitive. Of course, she ends up winning every year."

"No surprise. My mate would be the best at everything" Lucy said puffing her chest out.

"Yeah, okay. Anyway, where did you get that food?" Gray asked wanting some of the delicious smelling meat.

"That pretty woman over there", Lucy pointed to a stall where a pretty brunette was indeed standing and waving in their direction, "gave it to me after I said my mate wouldn't feed me. Then she said give her a call if things don't work out between me and mate." Lucy said still eating.

Gray stared at the blonde mage in disbelief, only she could convince someone to give her free food, pinching the brim of his nose he pushed the worrisome thoughts of Erza finding out someone hit on Lucy while she was away.

Meanwhile Natsu, Happy and Juvia stared at Lucy for what seemed like forever until Lucy began to sweat under their stares.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just, uh, keep that part about the pretty woman giving you free food to yourself yeah?" Gray said, continuing his walk to the guild.

"Ok, I guess" Lucy shrugged, unsure why anyone would care she got free food.

* * *

 **Fairy Tail Guild Miss Fairy Tail Contest**

"The long wait is finally over ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the one and only Miss Fairy Tail contest where your favorite fairies fight for the battle of beauty! I'm Max Alors Sand Wizard extraordinaire and I'll be your host for this exciting event!" Max yelled into the microphone hyping the crowed up.

Gray looked to his right, "Hey where's Lucy, she was literally right next to you a minute ago. How did she move without us seeing her move?" he asked directing his gaze towards Natsu.

Happy looked around confused, "Lucy's like a ninja. She can disappear and reappear whenever she wants without anyone noticing."

Natsu snickered adding, "Yeah, she'll probably show up later though."

"If that's true then Lucy's gonna miss out on Erza compete, and I have the weirdest feeling Erza's gonna feel insulted" Gray mused.

"Nah, Erza won't care. She doesn't even want Lucy as a mate remember" Elfman replied back.

Gray sweat-dropped, "Uh, yeah sure she doesn't."

Memories of Erza becoming jealous whenever Lucy looked at another woman or spoke of her past sexual encounters, causing Gray to snicker.

"Yeah, doesn't want Lucy my ass."

* * *

"Now let's meet entry number one! The exotic beauty who'll drink you under the table any other day of the week! Cana Alberona!" Max introduced.

Cana appeared on stage wearing her blue bra and brown pants. The crowd cheered for the card mage as she took the stage.

 _This is my year._

"Now bust out some magic and show us your stuff!" Max told her.

Cana lifted a few cards from her hand, spreading them out around her making the crowed excited. Golden lights surrounded her blinding the crowd drawing oohs, and ahhs from the crowd.

"What could she be doing behind all those cards?!" Max wondered.

When the light died down and the card mage was finally visible, they saw her changed into a swimsuit making the male crowed go wild.

"She changed into a swim suit, amazing!" Max announced.

Cana gave them a seductive look, "The prize money can cover my tab."

Erza appeared behind the curtain, "That's a clever idea, maybe I should do the same?"

"Oh? Wanna show off your body to your mate, Erza? Levy and Bisca giggled.

Erza blushed, "No, I do not and beside she's already seen me naked so even if I _did_ , it wouldn't matter since she's seen me and said I have a great body."

Levy and Bisca gawked at the S-class mage speechless. They were joking about their friend wanting to show off her body to demon slayer of Fairy Tail but after hearing Erza now they couldn't help but want to tease her relentlessly about her possibly recuperating feelings.

Erza aware of what she had just revealed tried to back track once she saw how her two friends were looking at her. Their faces turning from shocked to mischievous.

"No, look, nothing came of it, and I have no-

"So, you let Lucy look at you naked, huh Erza" Levy teased.

"Guess things are getting pretty serious after all" Bisca added.

"I will kill you when you least expect it" Erza growled.

"Sure, sure" the two mages laughed while walking away.

* * *

"On to entry number 2! She's new to the guild, but her magic is S-Class! A radiant beauty in rain or shine! Juvia Lockser!"

Juvia smiled at the crowed as they cheered for her, 'Please…let these feelings reach you my beloved prince!' her arms became water wings transforming into a purple swim suit with white polka dots on them.

"And the lovely ladies all set for a fabulous day at the beach!" Max said.

"Look at me Gray!" Juvia's eyes sparkled, "Do you like what you see?"

"Is everyone going to do swimsuits?" Bisca said.

Erza nodded her head.

"Next up is entry number 3! Fairy Tail's famous centerfold! Her beauty has stolen hearts of men and women all over the land!" Max moved out of the way to show Mira,

"Mirajane!"

Mira smiled and waved to the crowed making them cheer loudly for her.

"Now show us your stuff!" Max said.

"My specialty is Transformation Magic, so I'll show you a new side of me." He moved her hands in front of her face and transformed, "This is my Happy face, aye!" the crowed couldn't help but fall over in their chairs even Max's jaw dropped. She transformed again, "Here's my Gajeel face. Cool huh?"

Gajeel spit out his drink.

Happy laughed his butt off at Gajeel's expense.

Gray looked at the cat, "Well at least someone's enjoying this."

"She's a man…?" Elfman said unsurely.

After that Levi stepped up and showed her Solid Script magic shooting golden glitter around the crowd, followed by Bisca who used her own requip magic known as "The Gunner" making everyone cheer. Laki was next showing off her wood magic while in a bikini.

Gray looked around impressed, "These girls sure are going all out this year."

Elfman nodded, "Yeah, they sure are man!"

"Lastly entry number 7! The Fairy Queen who needs no introduction!" Max said.

Erza got ready, "That's my cue!" she ran out then jumped in the air and landing perfectly in front of the crowd.

Erza looked around for a moment in search of blonde hair hoping her entrance would impress the dumb demon, realizing her thoughts she hurriedly shook them away feeling a shiver run down her spine. "huuuuh. Dumb demon" she mumbled.

A loud laughter erupted from the crowd surprising everyone once they see Natsu and Lucy laughing wiping tears from their face while looking straight at Erza shooting a thumbs up.

 _They know damn it._

* * *

"My mate is thinking of me" Lucy grinned, shaking Natsu wildly.

"Yeah she is!." Natsu laughed while trying to stop his best friend from giving him a concussion.

* * *

"Erza Scarlet!" Max finished the introduction. The crowd went wild when the Scarlet haired mage took the stage.

Mira smiled, "Popular as always."

Erza smiled, "Let me show you a requip you don't get to see every day." She started requipping and her wardrobe changed into a gothic Lolita dress.

Levy giggled, "Gothic Lolita, bet Lu-Chan's enjoying that one."

"You can say that again, look outside" Mira pointed out.

All the girls currently behind the current did as Mira said watching as the blonde mage jaw was dropped with wide eyes currently watching as her "mate" posed in front of everyone.

"Yup, Lu-Chan's definitely enjoying the show" Levy laughed, the others joining along.

* * *

Erza smirked, "Hmph, looks like I win."

"Never thought I'd see her dress like that." Macao commented.

"Oui…" Reedus nodded.

"Lucy, where the hell have you been!" Natsu whispered, once he regained his bearings from their laughing.

"We, well we didn't go searching for you, but we were wondering where you were?" Happy said.

Lucy rubbed the back of her head in apology, "Sorry. I went to go buy some flowers for my mate for when she wins, but then I realized I didn't have money on me to buy them, so I went out and started picking some. It just took longer than I expected".

Those surrounding Lucy were taking notes of what the blonde was doing, picking flowers for a girl was a definite way to score brownie points they thought.

In that moment though Lucy looked up to the stage to watch her mate continue to pose happy to see how much fun she was having until she smelt an unknown scent appear next to her. The next few minutes of the pageant were as confusing to everyone else as they were to Lucy.

In the middle of Erza's performance, modeling is more like it, a woman with light brown hair wearing glasses, and a green dress with fairy wings on them showed up announcing her appearance.

"Entry number eight! The very definition of fairy, not to mention the very definition of beauty, and the only woman here who embodies everything men desire, the winner of this pageant The Lovely Evergreen!" The Thunder Legion's only woman came out in a long green dress with a burgundy fan covering her chin. "Now let this ridiculous contest end!"

"Evergreen! What are you doing here?" Erza shouted.

"Wow, she's back?" Gray asked.

"Then Laxus must be here too," Elfman stated.

"Didn't think he'd show his face so soon after Lucy trounced him," Natsu commented.

Makarov didn't like this one bit. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"Hey, my mate wasn't done!" Lucy shouted, only to be stopped as Evergreen lifted her spectacle's up letting her eyes glow a pale yellow and in an instant, Erza who was still waiting for Evergreen to answer was turned to stone.

"Now she's done" Evergreen drawled.

Lucy fell back in shock at the current state of her mate. "Erza?" Lucy whispered brokenly.

* * *

"ERZA!" Natsu stared.

"What the hell are you doing Evergreen!" Gray shouted.

"I'm making things a bit more interesting" Evergreen laughed, as she pulled the curtains behind her and revealed all the girls who were all stone statues.

Max looked on worried, "This is bad…everyone get out of here! Now!" they didn't need to be told twice because everyone ran for it out of the guild

"Oh, but the fun is just star-ack", before she could finish her sentence a flaming fist met her stomach knocking her back into the guild wall.

"You have 3 seconds to turn my mate and the rest of the girls back or I hurt you beyond repair" Lucy threatened.

Evergreen was terrified of the woman before her. She hadn't heard of anyone with such a magic having joined their guild and although she was following Laxus's orders she didn't want to know what the woman meant by maim.

"One"

Evergreen trembled in fear, still slightly defiant but wavering as she saw the girl get to two and turn up the heat in the guild which began to slowly melt her clothes.

"Who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare. Two." She growled, not skipping a beat.

Elfman looked at the two mages on stage worried, "I think Lucy's gonna kill Evergreen!"

"Well if she does it's her own fault! Loke said to never harm Erza!" Gray responded just as worried, "Why is she even doing this?!"

"Well technically she said she would maim Evergreen" Happy said not really reassuring the two panicking mages.

Evergreen was still frozen in fear as Lucy had just gotten to three. Watching the blonde's movements Evergreen couldn't help but stare frightened as the fist that was alit with golden flames her arm cocked back now heading towards her, the flames burning at an unbearable temperature.

Evergreen waited for the pain to come, until she heard a thunder clap surrounding them practically shaking the entire guild.

Pausing her punch Lucy looked around before she backflipped off the stage missing the lightning which struck the spot she was just occupying.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled, running to where the girl now stood glaring at the two occupants now on stage.

"You alright Lucy?!" Gray yelled, trying to get where she was through the smoke that appeared from the lightning bolt that struck the stage.

"Dammit! I can't see anything!" Elfman growled, being near the explosion he was practically blinded by all the smoke.

When the smoke cleared it showed Lucy who was bearing her canines at the lightning mage who dared strike at her.

"Nice to see even under the pressure, you're still loyal Ever." Laxus smirked.

"Hmmph, of course I am. I would never bow down to some neanderthal who wears a cloak as part of their attire."

"Hey, this cloak is cool!" Lucy yelled, going to walk up to the two mages only to be held back by Natsu and the others.

Makarov stomped forward extremely pissed off, "What do you think you're doing Laxus?! You'll ruin the festival for everyone!"

"Evergreen got everyone who was in the pageant!" Happy exclaimed next to him.

"Don't be a fool Laxus! Return them to normal this instant!" Makarov ordered.

Laxus grinned, "Nah, I don't think so. I have a better idea. It's just too bad all your fans went home, because the parties about to start."

"I should have known." Makarov muttered.

"Thump"

Gray looked around to see some familiar faces appear, "Freed? Bickslow? You're here too?"

Stepping up from behind the crowd was none other than the resident rune mage and seith mage.

Macao looked at them, "The Thunder Legion."

"What the heck are you guys trying to pull?!" Wakaba demanded.

"Come on, let's have some fun!" Laxus grinned.

Lucy stared at him, "I'm gonna kill you, I hope you know that. Even if it gets me kicked out of this guild, I will kill you and your thunder legion."

Silence rang through the guild as Lucy let her declaration settle through the four mages heads. A shiver went down three of the four mages, the exception being Laxus who continued to think he could overpower Lucy. The others had a slight sheen of sweat on their face as they saw the darkened eyes of the blonde mage.

Natsu tossed an arm around his best friend, "Ah, come on Luce, I like you being in the guild. Can't you at least hurt them instead so you can stay in the guild" he whined.

Lucy's eyes flickered over to Natsu who was pouting at her as well as Happy. "Fine, I won't kill them, I'll just hurt them really bad so I don't get kicked out." She said rolling her eyes.

"Yeah!"

"You are not hurting anyone Lucy, as for you four I've had about enough of your nonsense." Makarov told him, "Turn them back or else!"

"Not likely gramps. See you better play nice if you want these ladies to join the parade," Laxus told him, "In other words I'm taking all of them hostage. Break the rules and I'll shatter these chicks one by one, or I can just smash them all right now."

Lucy prepared herself to attack Laxus until she felt an arm holding her back. Looking at the hand she growls at Gray for stopping her from kicking Laxus's ass.

"Lucy, I get your mad, but look where Laxus is standing", pointing to where Laxus currently stood.

"If you go attack him you could bump into Erza's statue and break her or give Laxus the opportunity to do it if he wanted too, we gotta think this through logically."

"I hate logic" Lucy growled.

"I'm not amused Laxus, stop fooling around!" Makarov warned him.

"I'm serious old man." Laxus told him.

Freed jumped down from his position, "I've always wondered who was the strongest in the guild. Now it's time to find out."

"Are you guys idiots, we already know who's the strongest in the guild!" someone shouted.

"Yeah, Lucy's a fifth wizard saint and already beat Laxus! Obviously, she's the strongest!" Alzack yelled.

"Yeah, so let everyone go. We already have our answer" Gray said.

"Crack!"

"Shut up! That was a fluke alright" Laxus yelled.

Bickslow decided to jump down at that moment to calm his leader down, "Yeah, so let's get on with the game and have some fun."

"Fun! Fun!" His dolls in the background copied.

"There's only one rule, whoever's left standing is the winner." Laxus declared.

"It's a Fairy Tail battle Royal!" he announced.

"Boom" Flames erupted around Lucy as she seethed from having to hear the ridiculous news out of the four mages mouth. Looking to the sound, those still in the guild and the thunder god tribe look to see half the inside of the guild in ashes.

Rage took over Lucy " I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THIS, I JUST WANT MY MATE BACK!"

"Calm down Lucy." Natsu told grabbed her shoulder calming her down a little, hoping to stop her from burning down the entire guild.

"Uh, yes…Na-naturally if you want me to turn the girls back to normal" Evergreen paused to fan her face, the heat emitting off of Lucy beginning to get to her, "Uh, you- uh you have to defeat us first." Evergreen stuttered, unsure whether this was worth it if she'd have to face Lucy.

"But those odds aren't bad since there's four of us and like a hundred of you guys." Bickslow laughed, trying to ignore the raging blonde being held back by a couple mages in front of him.

"Three hours. After that these pretty statues of yours will be reduced to dust." Evergreen explained, having gain her wits with the help of Freed.

"I'LL KILL YOU IN TWO!" Lucy yelled, barely being constrained by Natsu, Gray, Elfman in beast mode and Master in giant mode.

The three Thunder God Tribe members looked wary for a moment before looking back to their leader who seemed unfazed by the crazed blonde.

"All of Magnolia will serve as the battlefield," Laxus said ignoring the blonde, "The fight will begin when you can find us," Laxus boomed.

"Laxus, how could you?" Makarov asked in outrage growing to a large size with his Titan Magic. "I won't stand for this!"

"Now, now Simmer down old man!" Laxus yelled. "It's all part of the festival, right? It'll be fun! Let the Battle of Fairy Tail begin!"

Before Lucy or anyone else could go after them the four teammates disappeared right before their eyes.

"They're gone." Someone said.

"So, its high stakes hide and go seek, huh?" Macao said.

"Let's go! We gotta man up and save our girls!" Elfman told them all of them running out of the guild.

* * *

Lucy walked up to the statue of Erza upset at herself for failing to protect her mate again. Caressing her stone face, Lucy pressed her forehead to the stone statue intent on getting that Evergreen chick and making her turn her Erza back to normal.

As she went to head out, she noticed Makarov's face which looked very weird, in her opinion. Heading over to him she noticed his entire body was shaking and his fists were clenched.

"Hey, uh old man, you alright?"

"Laxus, that insolent brat!" Ignoring Lucy, he ran out after them, "Just wait! I'll stop you with my own two hands!" until invisible force then blocked him.

Gray who had just started heading towards the guild entrance stopped and looked behind him to see what was wrong, "What's going on Gramps?!"

"An invisible wall!" Makarov said trying to push his way through.

Lucy slowly walked up to where the old man was lying on the floor rubbing his nose. Rubbing her chin, she stuck her hand forward, only to also be pushed back.

"What the hell?"

Gray ran back, "Stop joking around Lucy and come on, we gotta kick some ass, you too Gramps!" he picked the old man up and began pulling Lucy towards the entrance only to be halted halfway Lucy and Gramps falling from his arms. "Man what's the deal?!"

Lucy poked his foot from where she lay getting his attention, "Uh, was that always there?" She asked pointing to the floating words above them.

"Yes Lucy, we just never brought it up- No it has not always been there!" Gray yelled exasperated at his teammate. "What the hell is this? There's some type of writing, so runes right gramps?"

"Indeed."

"I could be wrong, but this could be some new defense mechanism that the old man installed but forgot about" Lucy told him, "You know like a rune barrier which won't let certain people in or out unless you follow certain rules."

"Why would I set up runes that would keep me from going out!" Makarov yelled.

"You tell me, you're the master!" Lucy yelled back.

"Why you!"

"Yeah Luce, take gramps down!" Natsu yelled as he rooted for Lucy who was in wrestling match with the master.

"Will you two knock it off and read the runes gramps!" Gray yelled.

Lucy and master immediately stopped their brawl remembering what was currently happening and went back to the originally task at hand, which was trying to figure out why the old man and Lucy couldn't leave the guild.

"Hmm, from what I can read it says, stone statues, anyone over the age of 80 years and... oh no." Makarov sighed.

Lucy and Gray looked to master in confusion, then in worry as they saw him fall to his knees.

"What's going on old man, what else is there?"

"And wizard Saints cannot leave this place my child." Makarov answered in despair. Knowing that the only person who could defeat Laxus, aside from possibly Erza, was also stuck in here was a blow to the gut for the master.

Lucy narrowed her eyes; "The lightning bolt was smart. Guess even though he didn't believe I was a wizard saint he still decided to take no chances. Tsk. Luce would call him a coward and eat him for such a cowardly tactic."

Gray, Natsu and Master looked at Lucy slightly horrified before breaking the silence.

"So, you're really stuck? You can't break through?" Gray asked.

"I'm afraid the rules of the enchantment are absolute, whoever wrote these, most likely Freed, were very effective in keeping Lucy, and I stuck here" Makarov stated with resignation.

"Well…I guess that settles it," Gray turned around, "It looks like I'm gonna have to go in this fight without you and Lucy gramps."

"I'm sorry…" Makarov said.

Lucy's fists lit up, "You know when I was with Lucifer, he taught me a lot of stuff. And one thing was that you shouldn't apologize for other people's insu-inser-their feelings of not being good enough, old man" Makarov stared at Lucy surprised at her words.

"She's right Gramps, Laxus's actions are his own" Gray added, before giving Lucy his attention again when she began to speak.

"Gray even though you're not as strong as me, I think you'll have a good chance against the tribe team" putting her hand on his should to reassure him.

"Happy told me that Becklow guy was a seith mage so you wanna watch out for him. Those mages are tricky to deal with" pausing to think for a moment "The Evergreen chick was weak though, so you'd have a good chance against her. Now the fancy pants guy, since he uses rune magic that'll be a hassle since he'll probably just trap you instead of actually fight you one on one which is a total drag, especially since you wouldn't be able to do anything and you'd be out of the game, so be extra careful around him." She finished with a huge smile.

Gray stared at Lucy for a moment unsure whether he should take her advice or ignore it and leave things to faith. Remembering who the wizard saint was and who wasn't, he nodded his head, leaving the guild and taking all of Lucy's advice to heart.

"Thanks Lucy. and Gramps for the record, I won't show mercy even if Laxus is your grandson, he's gonna pay for this," Gray yelled as he ran off, giving off his own murderous glare.

* * *

Lucy continue to stare at the spot Gray had occupied, away from Gramps. Her eyes furrowed together she thought of the events that were occurring, how weak she felt and how disappointed Lucifer would be that she failed to protect her mate. Emitting a growl Lucy clenched her fists and addressed the other occupant in the guild.

"Gramps, do you remember when I first claimed Erza?"

The old man thought back to the moment when one of his children got claimed, the guild going in an uproar over Erza standing speechless for once, and the newest guild member smiling as she placed a bracelet on her left, no right wrist?"

"Who doesn't my child? You made it quite the affair." He chuckled, stopping when he saw Lucy looking at him with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"Then you remember what Loke said would happen to anyone I deemed a threat to my mate, or dared hurt her?" she questioned, waiting for his answer.

The master looked at his child frozen. Aware of the speech Loke had given to everyone he knew the underlying warning she was giving him, Laxus and the Thunder god tribe were in trouble.

Not waiting for an answer Lucy spoke again ignoring the master as he tried to speak up, in defense of his grandson, or not she doesn't know, to be honest, she doesn't really care.

"I'm telling you this because Laxus broke these rules. Now I get the right to fight him along with those three wannabe followers who helped him" pausing for her words to sink in.

"Lucy! I understand that you didn't follow any type of human etiquette while with your demon but here in Fairy Tail things are different!" Makarov yelled, slightly fearful.

"We do not kill just because-

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the old man, "Because what, your friends got turned into stone? Your entire guild is being threatened, and everybody has to fight against one another?"

"You're an idiot of a man, and grandson or not, I will do my best to get revenge on what he's done to Erza and the others. Besides I never said I would kill. I promised my best friend I would only hurt them and that's a promise I intend to keep."

"Yes, my dear, but I'm sure your definition of hurt and my definition are vastly different!" Makarov said slightly sweating.

A devilish grin rose upon Lucy's face scaring the old man, "Are they? I guess we'll just have to wait and find out just how different they are, then."

"Lucy, no one is dismembering anyone today. I'll go out and help with the fighting. I'll even take Gemi-Lucy with me, so we have better odds in case we meet with Laxus" Loke said having just appeared.

"What!" Makarov yelled.

Sighing heavily, Lucy nodded while stomping to the bar for a drink. "Fine, just be careful."

"Am I never?" he joked.

"I mean- "

"Don't answer that"

"Piri, Piri, see ya later miss Lucy" Gemini said floating out of the guild before turning into Gemi-Lucy and running off with Loke.

"Well, I guess now we wait" Lucy sighed morosely looking at Erza's stone statue.

* * *

Makarov looked down, "Have Mercy on Laxus, please."

Over on the other side of the guild Master looked at Natsu.

"Natsu, what are you still doing here?"

The pink haired dragon slayer clenched his fists, "Gramps, I didn't think Laxus would really go this far."

Makarov sighed, "Me neither my boy." The third guild master looked at him seriously, " _If he got serious, he might be able to pull it off."_

"Gramps, I'm going after Loke and the others!" Natsu told him with Happy following right after him, but he was halted by the rune barrier taking them by surprise.

"What the heck?!" Natsu yelled.

"Why can't you get through?! Obviously, you're not a stone statue and you're not a wizard Saint. Don't tell me your over 80?!" Makarov exclaimed.

"I don't think so!" Natsu said.

"Bahahaha, Natsu's an old man, Lucy yelled laughing from her spot on the stage.

"Shut up Luce- wait what are you doing?" The two men looked to where Lucy was and saw her cloak around Erza's stone shoulders.

Lucy looked away, her cheeks pink tinged, as she explained that Erza was still in her weird bikini thing when she was turned to stone, so she figured she might be cold.

"I just thought maybe my cloak would keep her warm while she's frozen" Lucy mumbled.

"Wow for a demon Luce, you sure are a softie for Erza!" Natsu cackled.

"Shaddup!" she replied still pink faced.

After finally getting Natsu to quiet down and Lucy to calm down the three mages finally noticed other writing appear above them.

Makarov read the runes out loud, "Battle of Fairy Tail status report…what? It says Jet vs. Droy vs. Alzack…is this joke?!"

"But why…" Natsu said.

The runes changed again, "Jet and Droy…k. o'd." Makarov read.

"What?!" Natsu gasped, "Stop this stupid game right now…LAXUS!" Natsu shouted.

"Wow, Alzack took Jet and Droy out, nicely done" Lucy murmured.

"Seriously Luce!" Natsu said before smacking Lucy on the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You smacked me!" Lucy yelled back to Natsu, who then punched her back.

"Well that was for punching me back!"

* * *

Watching from a safe distance Makarov sat on a table crying that two of his strongest guild members were currently locked in here and were using up their energy fighting each other.

"I have idiots for children!"

"Fire dragon-

"Celestial Fire Demon-

"Nooo!"

"Roooooar!"

"Wraaaaath!"

* * *

 **Author's note**

 **I'm sorry for the long wait, but I really care about how well my chapters turn out. I hope I did this one justice even if it did just barely scrape the surface of what is the Battle of Fairy Tail. I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging for another month. As you can see I twisted a few things but hopefully this chapter is to your liking. Please comment, fav, do whatever and if you like my stuff support me on kofi under the same pen name.**


	22. Let the Battle Begins!

A loud groan was heard alongside raucous laughter.

"Hahahahaha! Nice try Natsu, but it'll take more than that to take me down." Lucy said with a dopey grin. Deciding she had enough fun she went and sat down on one of the only benches left standing after her and Natsu blasted the inside of the guild.

Slowly standing up Natsu rubbed the back of his head wearing a similar type grin on his face, "Aww, man. I'll get ya next time Luce!"

"No, you will not. I've had enough of you two! Corner both of you!" Master yelled.

Grumbling the two powerful wizards slunk off to their corners, slumping on their charred seats.

With their fighting done with, the master went back to watching the fighting going on outside, his stomach dropping as he saw his children continue to have to fight each other.

* * *

Makarov felt his face drop as he watched the runes display the time. "Time remaining: 2 hours 18 minutes. Combatants remaining: 42"

"What? How have we fallen to less than half the guild?"

Lucy, having decided to ignore the master's orders to sit in the corner, walked up behind the old man, voicing what he didn't want to believe.

"How else old man? They followed the rules of the game and fought each other." With a careless shrug, then pointed at the runes clicking her tongue at who were the next opponents to fight.

" **Gray vs Bixlow"**

Natsu fist pumped the air. "You got this Gray."

"What a drag…I was hoping Gray could avoid cosplay dude." she sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Aww come on Luce, have some faith in your teammate!" Natsu smiled, fisting pumping the air.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at Natsu, smiling back at him, "If you say so." Bending on one knee, and clasping both hands, Lucy mutters a request to her father.

"Lucifer send Gray your strength."

"If that works, I will let any future transgression slide" Makarov mumbled, still unaware of the other Fairy Tail member in the corner of the guild eating.

"Watch what you say." Lucy chuckled.

"Look Elfman's up against Evergreen, if we're lucky he can get all the girls back to normal!" Happy yelled.

Master and Natsu looked up hopefully, while Lucy rubbed her chin. "Nah, he's gonna lose."

* * *

Makarov's eyes widened. "Elfman Strauss vs Evergreen: the winner is Evergreen." The number of combatants dropped to 39.

"Well that was fast. I thought the Elfguy would at least last longer than that…" Lucy said shocked, as she watched their numbers dwindle.

"Elfman just got taken out..." Natsu grit his teeth. "And Gray's fighting Bixlow... even the Thunder god tribe is involved now. Man, I wanna join in!"

"I don't really care for this whole fighting royal thing, but I am angry that they turned my mate to stone so I owe them a beating for that."

"Oh?" Laxus blurred into existence behind them. "You think you can take us on blondie" Laxus asked cockily.

"Uh, yeah. I just said I could, didn't I? Natsu, Happy did I not speak loud enough?" Lucy looked to her friends confused, unsure if she had not for the other blonde to hear.

Happy and Natsu shook their heads, "Nah you were pretty loud Luce, we heard ya just fine!"

"Oh cool."

Laxus rolled his eyes at the idiot slayers before laying his eyes on one confused salmon haired mage.

"Why the hell are you in here Natsu, what too scared to fight?"

"Shut up, I don't know why I'm still stuck here!"

"Never mind, I don't really care. You wouldn't have lasted very long anyways." Laxus bragged, before turning back to gramps.

"Shut up!" Natsu jumped at Laxus's holograms face, not realizing it wasn't the real thing flying straight through it. Not expecting that he slammed into Lucy who didn't even budge and stayed standing chuckling at her friend who was on the floor rubbing his head for ramming into what felt like the equivalent to a cement wall.

"Heh, dummy."

"You're one to speak Lushie" Happy giggled.

"Tell me, old man." Laxus smirked. "How's it feeling watching your precious "family" pound each other in the ground so they can survive?"

He looked around. "I admit I was skeptical about putting up that third condition on the runes but now I'm kinda glad. With that blonde idiot- "

"You're blonde too, stupid!"

Laxus ignored Lucy's outburst and continued his speech "-out of the way and Erza and Natsu out of the picture, there's literally no one out there who can stand up to the Thunder god tribe!" he bragged.

"Shaddup lightning bolt! I swear as soon as I get out of here, I am gonna beat you till you're begging for mercy and even then, I'm not gonna stop" she growled. "And what's taking Gemini and Loke so long!"

As if on cue, a bright light emitted in the guild blinding all those in there, including Laxus. Once the light disappeared two familiar faces popped up greeting everyone.

"Piri, piri, we apologize Lucy, but the weird green fairy is a master at hide and seek." Gemi-Lucy says after popping up.

"Yes princess, surprisingly Evergreen is quite adept at hiding." Loke said apologetically.

"Yeah, and since we're not familiar with her scent we can't sniff her out."

"Damn. Well thanks anyways, you guys can go back to searching for her." Lucy smiled back at her spirits.

"Damage limit, miss Lucy."

"Eh, whatever floats your boat…wait, actually Natsu doesn't want us getting kicked out so don't kill them just like, I don't know, hurt them really bad so they know never to mess with us again" She utters out vaguely.

"Got it, piri, piri." Gemi-Lucy says before disappearing gleefully.

"As you wish princess." Loke bows, smiling back at his master.

"Oh, and Loke you can go back to the spirit world once you get rid of her, everyone will be back to normal so you can get some rest after you get rid of Evergreen." Lucy said smiling.

"What of Freed, princess."

"Eh, if you find him before Evergreen rid of him, if not you're free to go. Really I just care about Laxus now."

Loke laughed at his master's nonchalant reply, "Of course princess."

* * *

"Lucy no!" Makarov said rushing to get the younger girl to recall her spirits and change her command.

"Lucy yes!" she laughs, her demonic side taking over, as flames begin to erupt around her making everyone around her sweat.

"Luce…chill out" Natsu told her, surprised even he was bothered by the flames.

"Whatever, kill joy." She murmured, dousing her flames and going to get herself some food.

Laxus's head continued to float above everyone staring in slight awe at the fiery blonde currently sitting at the bar fighting with Happy over a piece of meat. _What the hell is she?_

"Laxus, what is it you want?" Makarov asked, painfully.

Looking back to his grandfather he went back to his cocky persona. "Ha. Easy old man, I want you to surrender, there's no one here who can help you win, or at least leave and help you win, so why prolong this pointless battle?"

"There's still Gray!" Happy exclaimed. "He's about as strong as Natsu! He won't lose to the Thunder God tribe!"

"Bahahaha!" Laxus cackled. "Got some high hopes for that loser, huh?"

"Yeah we do!" Lucy yelled, missing Natsu, and Makarov sweat drop at the celestial mage.

Makarov scowled. " Ignoring Lucy, I wouldn't underestimate Gray if I were you, Laxus!"

"We'll see" He smirked.

* * *

 **In town**

Gray was hit again by Bixlows totems, barreling off the roof of the building they were standing on and onto a canopy breaking his fall. The ice mage fell to the ground groaning, every part of his body sore from the fight, his magic container empty, along with any strength he had left.

Gray was angered at how the fight was currently heading. He could barely get to his knees, despite knowing those left in the guild were relying on him. "If only I were stronger!"

"You'd still get beat by me Fullbuster! You're nothing compared to the strength of the Thunder God Tribe!" Bixlow yelled, as he gathered his totems to help him get to where the ice mage was.

* * *

" **Stand up little demon's teammate, and accept the strength of a demon**!", A deep voice spoke in Gray's head.

"What the...holy shit was that Lucifer!?" Gray yelped, before feeling as if he was doused in cold water, his magic container overflowing with power he's never felt before, any sign of fatigue gone.

"Holy shit. I've only ever felt this magic when around Lucy." Gray said in awe.

"Well, well, well Fullbuster! Seems you're not as weak as I thought. Thought that fall woulda killed you. No worries this last attack will!"

Gray slowly got up, a determined look on his face. "Sorry but that's not happening! I don't know how but Lucy did something to help me out and I'm not gonna waste it!"

"Lucy", Bixlow laughed, with his five totem-like dolls mimicking his next words. "Ha, what could that idiot have done to help you from the guild?! You're just running on adrenaline. You're gonna pass out in a few seconds!"

"Few Seconds"

"Few Seconds".

"Few Seconds."

"Ah, shut up totems!"

Bixlow had just shot forward aiming for a kick to Grays chest. With just a few seconds to spare Gray was able to backflip away sending an attack back.

"Ice make: Ice Lance!"

Bixlows' eyes widened at the younger mages attack which easily broke through his totems, hitting him straight on.

"Ugh! I'll get you for that! Fly, my babies!" Bixlow growled.

"Here we go!" The dolls cheered, blasting Gray with bullets of green light.

"Line formation!"

The things arranged themselves into a totem pole and sent a large blast at Gray. The ice mage was unable to dodge such a huge blast, taking the brunt of it, just barely casting an ice shield at the last moment to lessen the rest of the hit.

"Heh, not bad Gray, but also not good enough!" Bixlow commented. "Now, my babies. Victory Formation!"

Nothing happened. Bixlow's jaw dropped when he turned to his toys and found them encased in blocks of ice. "When did he..."

Gray promptly smashed a knee into his jaw and sent him reeling back. "Ice Make: Hammer!"

Bixlow frowned as the large weapon fell on him. "X Formation!"

Gray's eyes widened when mannequins surrounded Bixlow, stopping his attack.

"What?"

"Nice try Gray, but my magic, Human Possession, allows me to put souls into objects." Bixlow explained. "You may be able to freeze their bodies, but you can't freeze their souls. I can simply transfer those to new bodies. In other words, I CAN GO ALL DAY!"

"GO MY BABIES!" Before Gray could even react, numerous mannequins jumped out attacking him, fortunately with the random surge of strength Gray had received, he was able to deflect a good deal of the attack, coming out of it battered but still standing.

"What the hell?! How are you still standing?" Bixlow screamed. "That attack should 've taken you down."

Gray was still out of breath, on guard, eyeing the mage warily. "I... I don't know. I just know…I'm gonna...take you down."

"But you're magic, it should be depleted by now. How do you still have so much?!" Bixlow growled.

"Beats...me." Gray laughed.

The clearing of a throat garnered the weirdly dressed mage and Gray's attention. Both looking to the interruption, seeing two surprising figures standing with smirks on their faces.

"If you're feeling how I think you're feeling then you can thank Lucifer for that." Loke says.

"And Miss Lucy. Piri, piri."

"What the, but you're supposed to be stuck at the guild!" Bixlow yelled in shock, at the blonde mage in front of him.

"No, our master is. We're allowed to go where we please. Piri, piri" Gemi-Lucy said smiling.

 _So, it was Lucy's dad who gave me that magic…holy fuck!_

"I don't understand, even if that's true how the hell did you get through the barrier! No one is supposed to be able to while in the middle of a fight!"

Gray was just as shocked as Bixlow at this development, but once he saw the lion spirit look towards him, he knew that was a signal for him to attack.

"Well, when you work alongside Lucy you tend to do to be able to do the impossible." Loke grinned mischievously.

"We're miss Lucy's spirits and she's very mad at what you've done. So, we're here to make sure you know that."

"You're just spirits, what can you do?!" Bixlow yelled. Bixlow would forever regret saying that.

Gemini smiled at the seith mage before lighting up their fists. "A lot."

"Indeed. As Gemini said you've made our master very mad, making us very mad Bixlow" Loke answered as he adjusted his blue shades.

Before he could attack them however, Gray had already frozen Bixlow's body, making him unable to move.

"Shi-"

"Regulus Impact!"

"Lucifer punch!"

"Ice make Lance!"

It was twenty seconds later that Loke and Gemi-Lucy were seen leaving a broken Bixlow on the rooftop of a random building in search of their next target. Gray stayed as the surge of magic had finally left his body causing him to pass out from exhaustion.

His last thought being _"Thanks Lucifer."_

* * *

The twin spirits sighed, disappointed at the fight they were given by the seith mage. Given it had only lasted fifteen seconds, they didn't really get to have any fun with the person. Gemi-Lucy turned to the leader of the zodiacs who seemed to understand their downtrodden attitude.

"I know, I know. You want a challenge, but you're not really gonna find one in Fairy Tail. Princess outranks them all" he smiled apologetically. His face brightening a moment later, "Hey maybe we can get Warren or Draco to spar with us some time?"

"Yeah, piri, piri!"

* * *

Back at the guild Natsu and Makarov were seething with anger at having to watch their guild mates fight each other because of these stupid runes, confined to only the guild walls was infuriating. Natsu for whatever reason couldn't seem to get out of the guild and fight leaving him stuck with gramps, while Makarov was stuck because of the age restriction. The wizard saint, Lucy, seemed to have accepted her fate and was sleeping.

Natsu hit the wall next to him, "Dammit! Why Laxus?!"

Makarov clenched his fist then looked up when the runes gave off, more of his children were taken out one by one.

Happy spoke up at seeing the runes, "Freed's taken out some more people like Alzack, and Macao! This really is the battle of Fairy Tail just like Laxus said."

Natsu looked up at the runes and noticed something, "Wait a minute…look gramps! The runes!"

Makarov noticed it himself, "I think the scales have tipped my boy." An amused glint appearing in his eyes as the names appeared on the runes.

"Bixlow vs. Gray, Gemi-Lucy and Loke have entered the battle"

Lucy awoke at the mention of her spirits name. Stretching, Lucy turned over to the runes, a giant smile on her face. "Tch, Bixlow is done for."

Makarov and Natsu looked to Lucy then at the runes, in thought. "You truly trust your spirits to be enough defeat the Thunder God Tribe?"

"Ha, enough, more like overkill. Old man, you'll be lucky if Becklow is even alive after they're done with him." Lucy cackled, then pointed back up to the runes.

"Huh?"

"Gramps look!" Natsu yelled. "Gray did it!"

"Bixlow k. o'd by Gray, Gemi-Lucy and Loke" the older man's jaw dropped, amazed at how fast the runes had updated. Less than a minute had passed since the runes had added the opponents and defeated Bixlow. _Did Lucy's prayer actually work?_

"Heh, you owe me one" Lucy chuckled.

"We don't know for sure it was your prayer!" Makarov said nervously.

"Pfft, it was Luce" Lucy smirked.

" Whatever, I guess now we just wait for your spirits to find Evergreen and the others?" Makarov said a bit worried, but also relaxed.

Lucy yawned shrugging. "Guess so. Gemi-Lucy and Loke already split up to find that wanna be fairy chick, so you don't have to worry."

Makarov stared at the mage on the verge of sleeping. "My children are fighting for their lives, how can I not!"

"Don't be such a drag old man, if you're that worried then send metal face out, he's been here this whole time not doing anything." Lucy threw out, pointing to the corner of the guild where the iron dragon slayer was sitting alone eating a pile of assorted metals.

Natsu and Makarovs eyes practically bulged out of their head at Lucy's words. "What!"

Happy nodded, "Yeah, see Gajeel's right over there." It was then they heard the clanking of metal in the corner of the guild and recognized the person eating to be Gajeel.

"No way! You were here this whole time?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"He's been eating all the dishes too" Happy said waving his arms around.

"Gajeel?! What have you been doing here this whole time?" Makarov asked.

The slayer shrugged, ignoring the fact there was a whole entire battle between guild members going on out there. "Didn't really feel like getting up so figured I'd just fill myself up on the dishes here."

"Mavis are all the slayers in the guild idiots" Makarov cried. "Gajeel, my boy, please will you fight for the guild?"

Gajeel got up from his seat, stretching, "Might as well," he grinned, "I got a score to settle with that guy, so I'll handle him."

Lucy snorted at Gajeels' cockiness, thinking about the fact Gajeel was steel and Laxus was lightning. It was funny how no one thought about the disadvantage Gajeel had against Laxus. Then again people were getting the crap kicked out of them so maybe they didn't really think about that.

"Eh, they'll figure it out sooner or later."

Lucy watched as Gajeel began to walk towards the guilds exit in hopes to fight Laxus and help Fairy Tail. She was slightly impressed by the look of determination on his face, that thought soon shattered quickly when he hit the rune wall, jaws dropping in shock.

"Whoa, Gajeel's super old like you, old man" Lucy said in awe.

"I am not! I don't know why I can't leave! Gajeel retorted. Lucy and Natsu eyed the slayer skeptically.

"Are you sure you're not 80?" Natsu asked.

"Do I look 80?" Gajeel growled.

"Hmm, nah. With those piercings you look like a rebellious preteen" Lucy joked; high fiving Happy.

"Shut up!"

"You sure you're not faking being stuck in here?! I bet you're just trying to copy me?!" Natsu accused.

"In your dreams!" Gajeel countered.

"Hmm, maybe he's not trying to leave hard enough! Come on Natsu, let's push him out of here!" Lucy shouted.

"Good idea, Luce!"

With renewed vigor Natsu and Lucy began shoving Gajeel, or at least tried to push Gajeel outside the rune wall.

"Get your dirty paws off me!" Gajeel yelled while trying to stop the two slayers from pushing him further into the runes. Ignoring his yells Natsu and Lucy pushed harder on the iron slayer, Lucy using her flames as a boost.

"Come. On!" she grunted.

"Shhtop it, dis hurts. Can't get out see!" Gajeel yelled while smooshed into the rune wall.

Lucy and Natsu sighed finally dropping Gajeel to the floor. Both unable to come up with anymore ideas as to how they could get out.

"Impossible…" Makarov said getting their attention, "This means even if you two and Lucy are the only ones left, we've practically lost since you can't get out! We really need Loke or Gemi-Lucy to find Evergreen, Lucy"

"Well yeah, I know that, but the dumb fairy girl seems to be wanting to play hide and seek. And since it's only those two doing all the work it's taking a bit longer to get things done."

Makarov looked grim, "This is bad, we need more help. Can't you call any more spirits, my child?"

"Nope, they're busy."

Master looked at Lucy frustrated, "With what may I ask?"

"They're celebrating the spirit king's birthday party, and I'm not interrupting that."

"It can't be helped I guess."

As much as master wanted to push the matter, he knew better than to piss off a celestial mage who also had the power of a demon.

"How'd you get Loke and Gemini to come help?" Happy asked. "Didn't they want to go to the party?"

According to Loke "I'll always take priority over anything else and Gemini really loves wreaking havoc, so this is way more fun for them than the spirit king's birthday party in the spirit world.

Natsu growled, "See Gramps, we can't just rely on Lucy to do all the fighting for us, even if it is indirectly. We're using a lot of her power just for Loke and Gemini!"

Lucy tried interrupting to tell them she was perfectly fine with having the two spirits out, in fact she wasn't even using a quarter of her magic to have their gates open but now was being ignored. Realizing this she went and sat back down. _Eh, I'll let them think what they want._

Gajeel crossed his arms, "Yeah, it's not fair making demon girl do all the work."

"I understand but with you three stuck here behind the rune barrier there's nothing we can do but rely on her…it's all over." he said.

Lucy took a deep breath, drawing all others attention. "I got an idea guys…what if we got my mate's help?!"

Natsu perked up at hearing Lucy's words. "Huh, how the heck are you gonna do that?"

"Lucy, are you being serious right now?" Makarov looked at the girl, as did Happy.

"Yeah, I mean she's a strong, smoking hot, nice smelling, -

"Luce focus."

"Oh yeah, well Erza's strong, so she can take these guys down no problem!"

"Lucy my dear...were you ever dropped as a child?" Makarov asked.

Lucy closed her eyes for a moment to think. "Nah mama was great. Although Lucifer was pretty intense during our training sessions."

"Dear Mavis. Fine, please explain how your mate is going to help us in her state?" Makarov sighed, already feeling drained from his conversation with the blonde.

Lucy grinned easily at the old man, her sharp canines showing. "Easy, burn the stone off!"

"Now hold on a second! What are you about to do?!" Makarov demanded.

Lucy looked back at him innocently, "I'm gonna use my celestial fire on her. Have you never done this before?"

"No! No one's ever done that before!" Makarov yelled." I don't think that's even safe!"

Lucy rubbed her chin in thought, "Hmm, weird. Wonder why Lucifer would let me try it on those villagers then?"

"KYAAA! You melted stone off villagers?!" Natsu, Gajeel and Happy screamed.

"Yeah back when I was first training with Lucifer, he had me do it as a test of skill."

"They were your guinea pigs!" Gajeel yelled.

Lucy looked at the dragon slayer confused, "Whas that?"

"You used them for your own benefit Lucy." Makarov explained.

"What, no way this weird mage went rogue on them and froze everyone in stone. It was just a coindent that I was training to control the temp of my fire." She said with a dopey smile.

The four mages fell to the floor in disbelief. _What the hell is coindent!?_

"Yeah so anyways, after I defeated him the people didn't turn back to normal though, it was weird. Luckily, I had Lucifer by my side, and he explained how you just gotta imagine you're cooking a piece of meat and don't wanna burn it and then bam the stone melted off the people."

"There's no way she's telling the truth." Gajeel said in shock.

"Luce...that's crazy." Natsu said.

"Yeah, not only did I learn how to control my flames, but everyone came out with a nice tan!" Lucy exclaimed with a goofy smile.

"Mavis help us, she's not real." Makarov prayed.

"Okay, but she's not covered in stone, she is stone, so it's not gonna melt off of her!" Happy said.

Lucy bent down, "There's not really a difference, is there?"

"Right!" Natsu yelled, a total 180 in attitude.

"This is madness you're going to roast her alive!" Makarov sad.

Lucy laughed, "She's my mate, at most she'll get a tan!" Slowly lighting up her hands and laying them above her body.

"Please be careful!" Makarov urged him.

"No joke," Gajeel agreed, "Watch where you put those fire hands bro."

A crack appeared on her forehead getting their attention making them all scream with fear.

"Did that happen when you melted the villagers?" Happy asked.

Lucy's face twisted in thought, sweat beginning to drip down "No. We, uh...we should probably get some glue."

"You idiot, you broke Erza!" Makarov yelled.

"Oh crap, my mate is breaking. Natsu fix it, I broke her!"

"Glue! We need glue!" Natsu yelled running around.

Lucy picked the stoned Erza up, "I didn't mean to break you! Hurry up with that glue quick! Happy glue!"

"Do we have glue?!" Happy asked freaking out.

Lucy began tearing the guild apart searching for anything remotely close to glue but coming up with nothing. Panicking when she came up empty handed.

"NATSU, I CAN'T FIND GLUE!"

"I CAN'T FIND GLUE EITHER!" he yelled back.

"That's not gonna do anything you idiots!" Gajeel brought his iron arm up, "We've gotta use your fire and my iron to weld her back together."

"Yeah, yeah smart! We can even melt the iron faster if I turn up the heat!" Lucy yelled. Lighting a fist up to her highest temperature she carefully put her hand near Gajeel who put it over the s-class mage to begin covering up the cracks.

"Erza no!" Makarov cried out as he noticed more cracks begin to appear on the woman.

The four mages turned to the stone woman and watched as cracks continued to appear until Erza was free from being a stone statue taking them all by surprise.

"I feel extremely hot…" Erza glared at Lucy who was closest to her smiling, "It was you, wasn't it? Were you trying to cook me?!" she said annoyed, punching Lucy into several tables embedding her into the guild wall.

"Ersha's bash!" Lucy said, while her face was implanted in the guild wall.

"Erza's back in business guys!" Happy said joyfully.

"Did demon girl actually melt off the stone?" Gajeel said, shocked at the turn of events.

"Melt stone off...dumb demon did you try melting me!" Erza said exasperated, before noticing the heavy cloth over her shoulders. _"_ Why am I wearing a cloak?"

Once free of the wall Lucy zoomed over to her mate tossing an arm over Erza, breaking her of her train of thought. "Heck yeah I did, and I thought you would be cold even while stone, so I figured I'd put my cloak on you for warmth." she said grinning happily.

Erza smiled at the dumb demon thankful, "Not your mate, but thank you I guess, that was sweet."

"I'm courting you, so we're practically together." Lucy grinned toothily.

Erza slapped her forehead, not wanting to argue since the issue at hand was far more important. Tossing Lucy's arm off from around her, she turned to the master for information.

"We'll talk about this later."

Makarov approached, "I'm happy you're not stone Erza, how did the spell break?"

"Honestly I'm not quite sure," she brought a hand up to her artificial eye, "But if I had to guess I'd say it had something to do with my right eye."

Makarov's eyes grew wide, _'That's it! Her artificial eye must've weakened the effects of the spell!'_

"What's up with your right eye, mate?" Lucy said, tossing her arm back around Erza, who did nothing to remove it this time, surprising everyone in the guild. "It the reason you turned back to normal, cause that's pretty cool."

Erza looked to Lucy slightly exasperated, "Yes, Lucy I guess it is."

"You know Lucifer almost stabbed me in the eye once while we sparred with his tail, I barely moved my head in time for him to miss fully stabbing it. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean too, or maybe he did, he gives off mix signals sometimes but anyways that's why I got a scar beneath my eye see?" she said pointing to the small nick underneath her eye.

"I was partially blind because of it until I met this little girl who had some really cool healing powers and fixed it right up!" she laughed happily.

Natsu, Gajeel and Happy stared at the blonde girl in shock, surprised she could talk so fondly about someone or something who caused her to be partially blind.

"You're...so weird Lucy." Erza sighed, chuckling.

"Lucifer used to say the same thing" she grinned.

Happy flew over to her, "Erza, do you know what's going on right now?"

Erza looked at him, "I think so, even though I was turned into stone I was still able to hear most of what was said."

"All right! It's time to strike back!" Makarov said.

"Look it added Erza to the runes now!" Happy said.

"That's impressive," Erza replied, "It updates automatically, but there's only three left."

Happy nodded, "It's just you, Loke and Gemi-Lucy. Natsu, Gajeel and Lucy are stuck here because of the enchantment. Wait! Now it says there's four!"

"It went up!" Gajeel observed.

Natsu and Makarov looked back to the stone girls, "Who could it be?" Natsu wondered.

"The girls are still stoned, so it can't be any of them." Makarov said.

Erza smiled, "Aren't you guys forgetting about someone? A member who's frequently out of town."

Natsu finally got it, "Hold on! You don't mean him?"

"And he's back just when we need him the most!" Makarov said.

Erza kept her smiled, "He's always been one to make a grand entrance, it looks like the real battle is about to begin."

Gajeel crossed his arms, "Someone wanna fill me in over here?"

"Hmm, maybe it's Lucifer!" Lucy yelled.

Gajeel, Natsu and Happy stared at Lucy blankly, unsure if she was kidding or not. Lucy on the other hand was smiling as if she had not said anything out of the ordinary.

"Lucy, how did you ever make it to fifth wizard saint?" Erza asked.

"Beats me, ask that tree guy." Lucy said a bit confused. Then remembering her question "So is Lucifer here or not?"

"No Lucy, of course he's not. I'm not sure how you even came to that conclusion since he's not even a member of Fairy Tail, and none of us have ever even met him." Erza explained.

Lucy looked away grunting, "I don't answer to you."

The knight mage was shocked at the girl's response but shook it off to get back to the matter at hand.

"Anyway, before we were interrupted by Lucy. We're talking about the man who was a contender for the strongest wizard in Fairy Tail…Mystogan

"Lucifer would've been cooler" Lucy mumbled.

* * *

 **With Laxus**

"So Erza has recovered and now Mystogan's joined us, including me that's Fairy Tail's elite coming head to head. You can't have a proper festival without a main event."

* * *

"It's up to you my dear to defeat Evergreen" Makarov announced to Erza, before she left. Nodding her head, she turned to leave not realizing she still had on an extra piece of clothing around her body. Lucy on the other hand was overjoyed her mate had kept her cloak on and went to fight in it.

Natsu walked up to his best friend who was staring weirdly at the rune wall. Wanting to find out what was wrong with her he decided to confront her about her weirdness. Tossing an arm around her he finally gained her attention, a dopey smile thrown his way at the sight of her best friend.

"Sup Natsu."

"Yo Luce what's got you looking like Erza just said yes to be your mate?" Natsu asked.

Those left in the guild turned to look at Lucy who was smiling as she watched the guild exit, before answering Natsu. Finally, she spoke, "Erza's still wearing my cloak. She's gonna fight in my cloak Natsu."

Natsu smiled at his friend, only she would find such significance in Erza doing something so mundane. Then again maybe demon slayers have different courting rituals. _I'll find out later."_

* * *

Erza ran through town trying to find a member of the Thunder God Tribe or Laxus if she was lucky. She continued to run, eventually searching from the top of buildings, when yellow projectiles fell from the sky making her jump back to the edge of the roof she was on. Her footing was off however causing her to slip.

"Sh-

At the last minute before she fell her elbow was caught, pulling her back up. Looking to the left she smiles when she sees the person responsible for stopping her fall.

"Now, now Erza, Lucy's not around to be your knight in shining armor you know." Loke chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." She chuckled.

Looking up to see who shot off the projectiles she sees her target, Evergreen, standing up across from her on the roof, "Hmm, that's odd I seem to recall turning you into a statue. Well no matter, this just gives me an excuse to torment you further." Evergreen sneered.

"Tch, I wouldn't recommend that Evergreen." Loke warned.

"Hmm, hello there Loke and why exactly is that?"

"Because you already have one death wish, no need to add another one on top of that?" he shrugged. "Then again I don't really care what happens to you. You see so long as my master is happy, I'm happy" he grins.

During his speech Evergreen slowly began to sweat, taking in his outright threat. Hiding behind her fan she began panicking. She never signed up for this, Laxus told her that it would be a simple win, most of the guild members were weaklings so it would be a simple fight where everyone would get a k.o. But then this Lucy girl shows up who's on a whole other level.

Evergreen slowly exhaled before speaking again, she knew she couldn't back down while the fight was going on. She had to go on with the fighting. _The things I do for the Thunder God Tribe._

"Hmm, please like you could take me."

Loke face palmed, this woman and her pride. "Very well." Loke said, adjusting his stance.

"Wait, Loke this fight is mine." Erza stated.

Loke's eyebrow rose in interest, on the one hand the challenge was for him, but on the other he didn't get turned into stone.

Shaking his head, he turns back to Evergreen "I'm sorry Erza, but I made a promise to Lucy I would take down Evergreen. As such the best I can do is allow you to help me. I cannot leave you alone to face her. S-class or not, you are my princess's mate, therefore I shall protect you from any harm just as I would do her."

Erza couldn't help but groan at Loke's words. Evergreen wasn't worth this, she could easily take her out, but of course that dumb demon and her spirits promises take priority over letting her have this fight. Erza looked to Loke one last time to try and convince him to let her have this fight.

"Nope."

"Fine, we'll take her down together." She said with a roll of her eyes.

"Very well. Oh, and nice cloak by the way" he smirked.

"Eh?"

"I don't think I've ever seen Lucy let anyone touch that cloak let alone wear it...she really does love you" Loke chuckled.

Erza's face erupted in a deep blush, forgetting she was even wearing the thing, "Shut up!"

* * *

"HAHAHAHA, LOKE AND MY MATE ARE GONNA FIGHT EVERGREEN TOGETHER!" Lucy cackled. "SHE'S GONNA DIE!"

Natsu and Makarov stared at the runes, which had just appeared worried.

"Evergreen vs. Loke and Erza"

"Lucy is really living up to her promise huh, Natsu?" Happy asked.

"She sure is buddy. Guess Celestial mages really do keep their promises." He grimaced, looking to the blonde who was still laughing at the runes.

* * *

"You're very annoying you know," Evergreen sneered, forgetting she was facing two very strong mages, well one mage, one spirit. "They call you Titania Queen of the Fairies, what a farce. I'm the true Fairy Queen."

"Your prattle doesn't interest me," Erza requipped two twin swords and charged at Evergreen prompting her to fly out of the way.

"We've got a score to settle." Evergreen told her.

"It saves me the trouble of hunting you down I suppose," Erza charged at her, "The sooner I defeat you the sooner the others will turn back!"

"Aren't you confident." Evergreen's eyes glowed yellow, immediately trying to turn Erza into a stone statue again.

Erza quickly acted by covering her left eye, "That won't work!" She tried to slash at Evergreen again, but she dodged, only to fly into Loke's way.

"Don't you dare touch my princesses' mate!" Loke yelled rushing at Evergreen with his fist alit.

"Regulus impact!"

"Ugh!" Unable to dodge Loke, she took the full force of the attack, getting thrown back half a building away from them. As disoriented as she was, she didn't give up on her fight, and got back up despite the pain she was in.

"Well, I see you aren't as weak as people say spirits are." Evergreen said, hoping to bide her time to recover. "No matter, I can still take you both out."

"No spirit is weak. Simply as strong as our master. Lucy is my strongest holder to date allowing me to use my full potential" Loke smirked. The shocked look on Evergreens face at Loke's words caused the lion spirit to laugh.

At finding this out Evergreen realized the danger she was in. She couldn't help but want to get this over with and decided to try for a sneak attack.

"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!" waving her arms she sent a torrent of energy needles composed of concentrated dust.

Erza sliced at the projectiles and almost got Evergreen until she flew away, "Try again." She taunted.

"Coward!" Erza chased after the green fairy slicing through the projectiles as she chased after her.

"You're quite adept at deflecting my thorns, aren't you? But I'm just getting started," she stopped, "I wonder, can you handle twice as much?" Evergreen taunted sending more at Erza who slashed at them, some getting pass and onto her clothes.

Loke was not happy at seeing Erza being hit by Evergreen. Deciding enough was enough he prepared an attack which would get the revenge his princess wanted and stop Evergreen.

Evergreen laughed, "From this day forth I shall be known as Titania, for I am the true Fairy Queen!"

Erza requipped some swords from her feet helping her deflect the yellow projectiles taking Evergreen by surprise, "What?!"

After Erza tossed the two swords from her feet at Evergreen, she immediately pinned the woman to the pillar behind her.

Erza then landed in front of her, "Personal character aside you're still a member of Fairy Tail the same as anybody else, so if you wanna call yourself Titania then feel free. I don't even know who gave me that name in the first place."

Evergreen glared at her.

"If you cease this nonsense and turn the girls back to normal then I promise I will not harm you." Erza told her.

"Ha, as if- "Evergreen began but was cut off by Loke.

"While that may true for you Erza, I cannot promise the same." Loke said his fists alit, walking forward from behind Erza.

"Wait, what Loke?" Erza asked confused.

"I made a promise to princess and I intend on keeping it."

"But- "

Evergreen looked to Erza then Loke nervous, " Wait, look look, I released them already! You can let m-

"Regulus Gatling Impact!"

Before Erza could even try blocking Loke's oncoming attack, the spirit released a blinding light upon the roof rendering Erza's ability to see the other two occupants on the roof gone. The only thing which let her know that Loke and Evergreen were still on the roof were the screams of pain.

As the light disappeared Erza couldn't help but stare in slight horror at the sight before her. Lying unconscious on the ground was Evergreen, beside her was Loke who was straightening his jacket. Walking up to her, unaware she was unnerved by his actions he spoke.

"I'll be off now Erza. I have finished what was requested of me." In a flash the spirit was gone right before her eyes.

"Ye-yeah-okay" she said to the spirit who had already left.

* * *

"Dammit!" Laxus cursed, slamming his fist into a column. "I trusted you, Evergreen, and you let Erza defeat you?"

"Actually, it was that spirit which defeated Evergreen." Freed observed, entering the church. "Not to mention Bixlow was taken out quite ruthlessly by the same ones alongside Gray."

"Then maybe I should have sent you out there." Laxus growled.

"Perhaps, perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference."

"What the hell are you saying, you're not even supposed to be here." Laxus growled.

"The game is over." Freed declared. "With the hostages released, the Master will not give in."

Laxus scowled and sent a bolt of lightning past the rune user.

"It is not over." He sneered. "But if you want to chicken out, go ahead. I do not need weaklings in my Fairy Tail."

Freed shook his head, he would always be loyal to his leader, but even he knew this was turning out to be a losing battle.

" _And by a mage who is still locked up."_

* * *

 **Authors note:**

 **Damn, writers block was killing me. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm not exactly sure how it'll be received since I changed up alot, and maybe some people will think a lot of it will be farfetched but then again I like it and hopefully everyone else will too. Again sorry for the long wait. Oh and hopefully you catch an easter egg for the next arc.**


	23. Tch, Let A Demon End This Battle

**Meanwhile Back at the Guild**

The statues of the girls shattered as soon as Evergreen was defeated.

"Oh my, what happened to us?" Juvia wondered.

"I can't remember…" Levy said.

"Lil' Levy!" Lucy yelled as she rushed to the smaller girl, who rightly braced herself for the brick wall that was heading her way.

"Lu-oomph"

"Ha!" Makarov grinned. The tides beginning to turn in their favor.

"They're back to normal!" Natsu smiled.

"Hey, look." Gajeel said pointing to the runes.

 **[Erza and Loke vs. Evergreen: Winner: Loke and Erza.]**

"Erza and Loke vs. Evergreen…winner is Loke and Erza!" Makarov read with a smile, "Well Laxus looks like you're out of hostages boy! Can't continue with your game, now can you?!"

Natsu grinned, "Hell yeah! This game is ours now!"

"Whoa, who's out there?" Levy asked, trying to push Lucy off.

"Right now? Just Loke, Gemi-Lucy, my mate and that masked dude." Lucy ticked off.

"And the only members of the Thunder God Tribe left are Freed," Happy said.

Mira looked down, "But still…Laxus called it the "Battle of Fairy Tail?"

"You can be sure I'll give him a satisfactory punishment later." Makarov informed them.

"Hold it." Natsu frowned. "I have to admit what Laxus did is messed up, but there's no harm in finding out who's the strongest, right?'

"Um..."

Natsu grinned. "Let's start the Battle of Fairy Tail, Round 2, eh?"

"Yeah, round 2!" Lucy yelled, joining Natsu in his antics.

Gajeel and Juvia watched as the two idiots of the guild chased Levy around playfully, the girl yelling for help.

Cana scowled, "Laxus out did himself this time."

"At any rate it's over now," Makarov stated, "I've played with this foolishness game because your lives were in danger, but I won't indulge him anymore."

Mira looked at him, "Master…we can't let him get away with hurting our friends."

"Yeah she's right! If we don't teach Laxus a lesson, then he'll never learn!" Bisca agreed.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm gonna give that boy a punishment he'll never forget. He should know better! You can mess with me, but you can't mess with my guild!" Makarov promised them.

Juvia looked over at Gajeel, "Why such a serious expression?"

"It's nothing." Gajeel told her.

She smiled, "This guild is rather fun isn't it?"

"It ain't boring at least." He said.

"I know right. It's not as cool as Bosco but it's cool. You know in Bosco there was this guild I hung out with and man they were pretty crazy, they even had a slayer too!" Lucy said, not noticing the two mages look at her weird for interrupting their conversation. Then looking around to make sure none were listening she whispered to the two mages. "They even helped me out during mating season." Grinning dopily at the memory, not noticing how one of two mages were blushing profusely.

"You're so fucking weird Demon girl" Gajeel laughed, enjoying how Juvia turned redder than Erza's hair.

The runes turned red and peaked off the door getting everyone's attention.

"Now what?" Cana said, "Don't tell me he's up to something else?"

"You're gonna have to fight us this time!" Bisca declared.

It took the shape of a red skull, **"Can you hear me old man? The rest of you better listen up too. Looks like one of the rules has gone out the window, that's fine. I'll just add a new one. In other words, since I'd hate to end the Battle of Fairy Tail early I've decided to activate the Thunder Palace."**

"Are you out of your mind Laxus?!" Makarov yelled.

 **"You have one hour and ten minutes, if you think you can win you better get moving. Unless you're ready to hand the guild over to me now,** _ **master**_ **."** The runes dispersed.

"THIS GAME HAS GONE ON FAR ENOUGH BOY! I WON'T LET YOU DRAG INNOCENT PEOPLE INTO THIS!" Makarov yelled, feeling pain shoot through his chest and falling to the floor.

"Master no!" Cana yelled.

"Is he hurt?!" Natsu asked.

"Oh no! I'll go get his medicine!" Mira said running up the stairs.

"Don't worry guys I got this, Lucifer used to do this to me all the time when I passed out after a hard work out or I got super injured!" Lucy shouted.

The guild went silent watching as their strongest mage slowly walked up to their master to check up on the old man, all having the same thought, _"What's she gonna do?!"_

Lucy walked over to where Master lie motionless on the ground, bending down to fully examine the old man. Once finished she stood up and prodded him with her foot watching as master's body twitched in response.

The entire guild screamed shocked at the oblivious celestial mage actions.

"LUCY!"

"LU-CHAN?!"

"LUCE!"

"He's okay's guys, I think he just had like a heart attack or something…he looks pale", she pointed out still oblivious to everyone's stares.

"Luce, what the hell was that?!" Natsu yelled.

Lucy stared at Natsu and the others confused. "Whadda ya mean? Lucifer used to do that to me all the time to make sure I was alright...is that not what you're supposed to do?" Lucy asked.

Levy sighed walking up to the blonde, "No, Lu-chan, not even close."

Lucy bit her lip confused, eyebrows furrowing as she tried to understand how that wouldn't help find out if someone was okay.

* * *

"Hang in there master, it'll be okay." Levy said, helping the old man up towards the infirmary with Bisca.

"What'd he means by Thunder Palace?" Natsu wondered.

"Maybe he's gonna make a palace with his thunder" Lucy theorized.

Natsu's eyes widened, "Whoa is that possible?!"

Lucy shook her head in excitement. "Oh yeah totally. See one-time Lucifer and I were bored, we'd just got back from beating up these bandits up in Bosco, and so he decided to have some fun and create this huge castle with his fire. It was awesome!"

Happy and Natsu were listening to their best friends' stories enraptured. While they weren't exactly sure that Laxus had built a real thunder palace, finding out that she had lived in a real fire palace was one of the coolest things to learn about her, aside from learning her dad was a demon.

"Lu-chan, I love you really I do, but please just keep your theories to yourself for now" Levy cried, exasperated.

Mira came out from the room after grabbing the medicine, "Hey guys come look outside!"

When they all got outside, they saw yellow sphere's with lightening symbols on them hovering above them.

"What the heck are those?" Natsu questioned.

"Those look like lightning lacrima to me." Levy said.

"Laxus must've done this", Cana stated.

"They're floating all over the town." Levy observed.

"They may not look that dangerous but their overflowing with lightning magic," Cana told them, "This could get ugly. Let's just hope he doesn't set them off."

"Could this be the Thunder Palace he was referring to?" Juvia wondered.

"Yes, and its surrounding Magnolia." Cana confirmed.

Natsu and Happy deflated after hearing they wouldn't be seeing a real thunder palace.

"If they're filled with lightning what happens when he activates them?" Levy questioned.

"Everything within will be burned to a crisp", Cana said grimly.

"I won't let that happen!" Bisca declared, Requip: Sniper rifle! Pointing at one of the lacrimas, Bisca locked onto her target. "Target locked on! Sniper sh-ah what the hell Lucy?!"

The sniper looked to their resident dopey mage who instead had a serious expression on as she studied the lacrima up above the sky. Still holding onto Bisca's rifle she decided to take a risk and shoot at the lacrima testing her theory.

In one hit the lightning lacrima was destroyed golden sparks shooting down around the Magnolia residents.

The look of disbelief on everyone's face as the blonde was able to hit the lighting lacrima with Bisca's sniper was hilarious to Natsu.

"Man Luce, that was awesome! You didn't tell me you knew how to shoot" Natsu grinned.

"Eh, Lucifer said to never be a one trick po-aaaaahhh-ny." She finished after a lightning shot down on her making her groan in annoyance.

"Oh man, that was annoying" shaking herself free of the jitters, she looked back to her friends with a smile. "What's wrong?"

"Lucy!" Natsu cried.

"What happened?" Happy questioned.

"Lu-chan!" Levy cried with worry.

"Oh yeah, that. I didn't want Bisca shooting because I figured there was something weird with the lacrima's. And since I have tougher skin, I figured I would be a better candidate to shoot the thunder bolts lacrima." She shrugged.

"Lucy, what the hell? Why didn't you just tell us that instead of actually testing it?!" Cana yelled, smacking the girls head.

Lucy tilted her head at the others question, not even phased by Cana's smack "Levy said to keep my theories to myself", staring at the others as if they were the dumb ones.

Levy blushed at hearing why Lucy shot the lacrima over letting Bisca, everyone turning to the smaller girl. "Sorry Lu-chan. Next time you think of something just say it please." She said hoping the girl accepts her apology.

"Ok Levy-chan!" Lucy said with a smile.

"Well thanks to Lucy we now know that the lacrimas have Organic Link Magic."

"What's that?" Lucy asked, receiving looks of disbelief from everyone.

"Lucy, did you literally just shoot that lacrima not knowing what type of magic it had on it?" Cana asked.

"Uh...yeah...that's exactly why I shot it. I just told you that."

"You sure are something Lucy", Cana mumbled.

"Look, it's a type of spell that's been cast on the lacrima," Cana explained, "If you destroy one then the magic energy used in your attack will be reflected back at you. In other words, if we try to get rid of them then we'll be risking our lives in the process."

"What should we do?!" Levy cried, "Those things could wipe out the whole town!"

"We gotta take down Laxus fast!" Cana told them. " I mean Freed is the only one still out there, so once he gets taken out this'll all be over."

Juvia nodded, "I'll go with you."

"Good," Cana nodded at her, "Who's out there right now?"

"Gemi-Lucy, Loke and Erza are," Happy told them, "Erza and Loke took down Evergreen already so Lucy's spirits might fight either Freed or Laxus if they find him fast enough."

Lucy chuckled awkwardly, attracting everyone's' attention.

"What?" Cana asked.

"Uh, well see I kinda recalled Loke because I didn't really see a point to still having him out to fight Freed when you guys would be out. And Gemini is out searching for Laxus."

Mira set a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Don't worry Lucy, it's not fair for us to rely entirely on you, thank you for all your help. Now it's our turn."

Lucy looked at Mira with glossy eyes, snatching her hands. "Oh man I swear if I wasn't already courting Erza, I would totally go after you, ex-mate!"

Mira giggled at the dense slayer, "And I still wouldn't have accepted."

* * *

Cana thought about it, "So you're saying we just need to find Freed and then we'll be practically home free?"

"Guess so." Levy said, shaking her head at watching Lucy trying to convince Mira she was a worthy mate.

"Why are you even trying to convince me...again. You want Erza, not me."

"It's the...Levy what's that one word where it's like the idea of the thing that everybody actually cares about?"

Levy stared at her best friend. "Principle?"

"Yeah! It's the principle...I'm a catch." She says smiling.

"You're something." Mira giggles.

Cana looked at Juvia rolling her eyes, " Well okay then, we're just gonna go."

"Right!" Juvia said. Both ran off to search for the two remaining members of the Thunder God Tribe.

Natsu glared at the Thunder Palace, _'Laxus…I won't forgive you!'_

* * *

"How do you like that, old man?" Laxus cackled. "Now this entire town is my hostage!"

Freed was shocked. "You would go this far?"

"This far?" Laxus repeated angrily. " This is a battle! It's not over until one of the sides is completely eradicated!"

"Give it up already, Laxus!" Natsu yelled, straining against the barrier.

"Calm down and get back up here!" Levy told him. "This thing is an enchantment, right? If it's written magic, I might be able to do something about it."

"Seriously?" Natsu and Gajeel chorused.

Levy nodded. "I believe that the two of you can stop Laxus. I just need to rewrite the runes to let you two leave!"

"I mean I'm right here, but alright let's count on the two guys who aren't a wizard saint." Lucy mumbled, walking off.

Levy blushing as she sees her close friend walk away hurt.

"Sorry Lu-chan!"

* * *

"The Thunder Palace..." Freed muttered.

"Why are you still here?" Laxus demanded. "Go out there and destroy that spirit already! The old man is counting on Erza and Mystogan, so I'll deal with them...and while you're at it add some runes to trap Cana and the Phantom girl. Since I don't need either of them in my Fairy Tail, you can kill them."

"Kill them?" Freed was shocked. "We may be fighting right now, but they're still guild members-"

"Didn't you hear my orders?" Laxus yelled furiously, veins bulging out.

Freed's expression turned neutral. "Now that we have come this far, I fear there is no turning back... even if takes us to hell, I will accompany you on this path..."

"I will accomplish my mission." He announced, walking out. "I will be aiming to kill."

Laxus smirked after his departing form. "Very good, Freed the Dark. It's time you showed them your real power."

 _That girl and her spirit will probably get to me before I get the chance to do anything._ Freed sighed, _Nevertheless I will do as my leader says._

* * *

 **Back at the guild**

"If I could just solve this part here, and then over-write the enchantment..." Levy muttered. "Wait... translating them at the same rate doesn't work... that's it! I have to go through them at different rates... if I convert this one into Guile writing, and then translate that into Logue..."

Gajeel and Natsu watched her work in suspense.

"I've done it!" Levy exclaimed proudly. "You two just hold on a minute. I'm going to over-write the enchantment." She turned to them with a smirk. "This is it, you two. Once I'm done here, you guys will be able to join the battle of Fairy Tail!"

"Hell yeah!" Natsu ignited his fist. "I'm all fired up.

Gajeel grinned darkly. "It's time to take out the trash."

"Seriously Levy-chan, am I just chopped demon to you?!"

"I'm sorry!"

* * *

"Ugh..." Natsu groaned as he ran down a crowded street. "There's too many people around... I can't catch Laxus' scent at all!"

"Where the hell do, I go?" Gajeel said frustrated, people surrounding him blocking out any scent of Laxus.

"I don't know, what do you get when you add a wyvern with a chimera, Plue?" Lucy asked, hands behind her head.

"Pun, pun, pun!" Plue shouted, atop Lucy's head.

Lucy paused in her walking to look up at her little dog spirit before falling to the floor cackling. "Oh man you're hilarious Plue!"

* * *

" _Listen up, you three!" Levy instructed the Slayers. "Freed's enchantments are still around the town. You'll have to split up, so you don't risk getting stuck in one."_

 _Levy watched as they sped off in different directions, wishing them luck._

* * *

Freed sighed. He was hoping he wouldn't run into anymore mages, but it seemed luck wasn't on his side, and as he was surveying the rest of Magnolia he ran into Cana and Juvia who had fallen into one of his runes. Not wanting to fight them he simply set the rune up to take away their air supply until they were knocked out, releasing the runes once they were knocked out.

He frowned hearing a yell from his right.

"Ah, Elfman. I wasn't expecting you to be back up after Evergreen defeated you" Freed observed.

Elfman frowned once noticing Cana and Juvia's motionless forms. Not caring for an explanation, he went forward with an attack at Freed.

"Elfman, wait!" Mira called after him.

"Are you my new opponent, Elfman?" Freed asked, easily dodging his attacks. "I'm sorry, but you've already lost to Evergreen. Therefore, you are already out of the game."

"I don't care!"

"Well I do. And since you already lost, you cannot return to the game." Freed announced, dodging Elfman's next charge and slashing his chest with his rapier, causing a set of runes to appear on Elfman's chest and sink in.

"Dark Ecriture: Pain." Freed intoned. "Those runes represent unimaginable pain that will become the entirety of your existence."

Mira wailed when Elfman fell to his knees, screaming and clutching his head in agony.

"Dark: Ecriture: Terror!" Freed slashed him twice more. "Dark Ecriture: Suffering!"

Mira watched in shock as Elfman began to spasm, assaulted by pure fear and visions of his deepest nightmares at the same time.

"The final Dark Ecriture." He finally said. "Death."

Elfman's eyes widened in confusion as Freed froze up, despite calling his attack. However, it was too late anyway as an eerie silence fell around them.

" _Mira-nee..." Lisanna smiled weakly, reaching out with a shaky hand as her eyes dimmed._

Mira screamed as magic flared around her, the ground cracking beneath her under the magic pressure she was releasing. Freed watched in fascination, and fear as Mira grew scales on her arms, a tail sprouted out behind her, and a crack-like scar formed on her face. Freed looked on in horror at the demon in front of him. Mirajane...the She-Demon.

His eyes widened and he jumped back hastily when Mira surged forward and destroyed the bridge he was on.

"Dark Ecriture: Wings!" He shouted, creating six wing-like protrusions on his back and flying backwards. Mira driven by the rage of seeing her sibling tortured shot after him and landed a furious punch on his guard, sending him somersaulting back even further.

"She's even tougher than I thought!" Freed exclaimed, wincing when Mira punched him again.

"I will eliminate you." Mira remarked calmly.

 _This is... this is 'Demon Mirajane'..._ Freed grit his teeth. "The form that made her S-class... Satan Soul!"

Mira growled, planting a foot in his gut with enough strength to make him cough out blood.

"I have no choice..." Freed scowled as he wrote runes on his own body and transformed into a black-skinned demon-like thing. "Dark Ecriture: Darkness."

Mira didn't bat an eyelash at his change, simply kneeing him in the chin discombobulating him. Freed roared and flailed his arms around, somehow landing a hit and knocking Mira into the river below.

His eyes widened when she began to spin in the water, gathering it around her outstretched arms. "Just how much power does she have?"

He screamed as the twister engulfed him. As soon as it ended, Mira shot at him again with an orb of dark purple energy. Freed's jaw dropped as it hit him and exploded, releasing enough force to whip up gales in the entire city.

 _This was not part of the plan!_ Freed screamed inwardly, back to normal and quivering in fear as Mira swung at him again. _Laxus and I never foresaw Mira gaining her power back!_

The fist stopped just above his face. Freed breathed a sigh of relief when Mira's appearance returned to her usual state.

"Why?" Freed stuttered.

"This fight. It's meaningless. We're both members of the same guild so we shouldn't be fighting each other."

"Spare me your false pity and just take me out already, Laxus is my only true friend!"

"No Freed, he isn't. You have the entire guild to be by your side."

"I... I never meant for it to go this far" he cried, wiping his eyes in shame. "I'm sorry!"

"I know you didn't" she consoled.

* * *

"Mirajane Strauss vs Freed Justine: Freed forfeits the match." Natsu read. "Now only one remains. I'm coming for you, Laxus!"

"So..hungry...need food." Lucy said while crawling on the ground.

"Hmm, you sure do act dramatic when it comes to food" a woman laughed.

"Hey, you're that hot lady who gave me free food earlier!" Lucy yelled.

* * *

"The Hall of Thunder. Thunder lacrima surrounding the entire city, threatening to destroy everything..." Levy frowned. "And time is short... only ten minutes left. Is Laxus really serious about this?"

She brightened up. "Still, it'll work out. We have Erza, Natsu, Gajeel and even Lucy on our side. Oh, and I can't forget Mystogan!"

She glanced at the door as a tall woman walked in. "Porlyusica-san?"

"Where is Makarov?" Porlyusica asked impatiently. "Hurry, girl, where is he?'

"He's in the medical room..." Levy hesitated. "But there's a bit of a situation right now..."

"That's why I'm here." The woman snapped, approaching Makarov's bed and analyzing him for a moment.

"Child." She started softly. "Go and fetch Laxus. What he's doing is shameful. He needs to be told of Makarov's condition at once."

"Condition?"

"Just do it, child." Tears slowly fell from Porlyusica's eyes. "He doesn't have much time."

* * *

"So, he's not giving in, huh?" Laxus sighed. "I guess he's going to be stubborn until the end."

He grinned when a hooded man walked into the cathedral. "So, you made it, Mystogan. I didn't think you'd be interested in taking part in this thing."

"If you deactivate the Hall of Thunder now, we can still tell the townspeople it was part of the festivities." Mystogan told Laxus calmly.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors." Laxus observed. "About who's the strongest in Fairy Tail, you... or me."

"I don't really care about this honor, but if you truly want to know then I would say the newcomer of the guild Lucy. Her power outranks every guild member by far… I'd even go as far to say the master as well."

" That blonde idiot!? You think that girl is stronger than me! No one is stronger than me" Laxus roared.

" You're blinded by your own weakness for power." Mystogan observed. "Lucy is stronger than you, me, Erza and even Master! This battle has been pointless Laxus, give up."

"I'm complimenting you here, Mystogan." Laxus laughed. "Right now, the strongest member of Fairy Tail is one of us two."

"No, I am nowhere near that woman in terms of power. However, if that's all that matters to you, then you really are blind." Mystogan sighed.

"Let's settle this then, with the title of Fairy Tail's strongest at stake." Laxus challenged. "Mystogan... or should I say-"

Mystogan's visible eye widened and he quickly used one of his staffs to send a magic blast at Laxus. The blond man grinned and countered with a ball of lightning, causing both attacks to explode and shatter all glass in the church with the force.

"How do you know about that?" Mystogan demanded.

"Losing your composure, huh?" Laxus smirked. "Beat me and I'll gladly tell you everything I know."

"You're going to regret those words, Laxus." The hooded man frowned. "You are about to experience magic the likes of which you've never seen before."

With that, he reached behind him and quickly spread his staffs out in front of him in a semi-circle. "Skyscraper."

The floor under Laxus warped, before the entire cathedral exploded and a column of magic power pushed him into the sky. "Impossible!" The man roared in shock. "The entire church?"

He looked up as a rip in the sky appeared and thick fingers began to force it open wider. He screamed in pure terror when black ropes immobilized him and a huge monster tore the sky apart, reaching for him. "What kind of magic is this?!"

The power released by Mystogan was slightly frightening to the point he unconsciously released lightning energy around his body. That proved enough to shatter Mystogan's illusion, however.

"Bahahaha!" He cackled insanely. "How amusing! Did you think you could beat me with such a simple illusion, Mystogan?"

"Impressive." His opponent noted. "But you noticed a second too late." Five different-colored magic circles appeared above Laxus. "Sleep. Five-Layered Magic Circle: Sacred Song!"

"I'm slow, huh?" Laxus grinned as a yellow magic circle appeared under Mystogan and they both got attacked at the same time. Mystogan frowned, manipulating the ground around Laxus only for the lightning user to shoot out of the affected area. He grunted when a lightning bolt hit him and he dispersed into mist, reforming himself to face Laxus again.

"Not half bad, are ya?" Laxus mused.

"Laxus!" Erza and Natsu yelled in unison, running into the cathedral and noticing each other only after the shout.

"You're wide open!" Laxus sneered, taking advantage of Mystogan's distracted state to blast him in the face with lightning. Erza gasped when the remains of his scarf fell to the ground, revealing Jellal's face.

"Jellal..."

"Oh?" Laxus was amused. "You know this guy?"

"What's going on?" Natsu demanded to know. "Mystogan is Jellal?"

"Erza..." The uncovered man sighed. "I wanted you, at least, not to see this. I am not Jellal. I know of him, but I'm not him."

"I'm sorry." He added, fading away as mist. "I leave the rest to you."

"Ah whatever!" Natsu yelled. "I'm here for you anyway, Laxus. Erza, I'll handle this guy, alright?" He turned to Erza and noticed her unfocused state.

Laxus having noticed Erza's defenses lowered, took advantage by shooting a bolt of lightning straight for her. Natsu couldn't help but stare in horror at the stream of magic soaring through the air for his friend. Even if he jumped now, he knew he wouldn't reach her in time to take the blow.

"Erza!"

"Focus now, I'm over here." Laxus smiled mockingly.

"How many times am I gonna have to do this, mate?" Lucy grunted, referring to jumping in front of magic being shot at Erza.

Seeing Lucy be hit by Laxus's lighting brought her back to her senses, shock written all over her face at seeing the blonde.

"Gemi-Lucy?"

"Nah, real Lucy! I woulda been here earlier but I got stopped by the hot lady who gave me some fire meat earlier."

"Who did what now?" Erza asked, grabbing the girl by her collar.

"Uhh..." Lucy looked around nervously.

"Ah, come on guys, I wanted to fight Laxus on my own and teach him a lesson! I can't do that if you're here Erza. Or you Luce!" Natsu yelled, not noticing the tension between Lucy and Erza, but still breaking it.

"Can I be here? Piri, piri?" Gemi-Lucy asked popping up.

"No!" Natsu yelled.

"Yes!" Lucy yelled.

"Laxus!" Natsu roared. "I told you, I'm going to handle this!"

"Oh?" Laxus raised an eyebrow. "When did you get here, Natsu?"

Natsu scowled and jumped at Laxus with a flaming hand. "You'll regret that!"

"Don't you ever think before acting?" Laxus sighed, pushing him back with lightning. "Out of my way, trash!"

The boy flipped in mid-air and kicked out at Laxus with a burning foot. "Fire Dragon's Claw!"

Laxus smirked, easily dodging and punching Natsu away. As soon as the boy landed, Laxus followed up with a knee to the chin.

"You're not getting away that easily!" He announced, grasping Natsu's arm and smashing the boy in the face with his free hand. Natsu grinned as he adjusted the grip and hit Laxus back. Erza watched as the two continued to pummel each other, with Laxus eventually getting the advantage and sending Natsu crashing backwards.

Having seen his chance, the lightning user gave a vicious stomp to Natsu's head, forcing it into the floor. Another kick sent him flying.

Laxus smirked at the mage being thrown back at his weak hits. Not keeping an eye at his surroundings, he didn't see the two blondes rushing at him with their fits cocked back and a devilish smile on their face.

* * *

Lucy saw this as her chance and alongside Gemi-Lucy sped towards Laxus in a surprised attack. Laxus eyes widened at the blonde idiot who suddenly appeared right in his face. Unimaginable pain erupted in his face and stomach as two fists were practically imbedded there.

"GEMINI FLAMING DEMON PUNCH!"

"ACK!" Laxus bent over in pain, unable to hold back his vomit, as pain erupted through his entire body from those two demons. He would never admit it aloud, but it was even worse than when he had the dragon lacrima pushed into his eye.

He slowly pushed himself up, lightning crackling around his body in anger. He looked around for the two culprits who went ahead and hit him while he wasn't looking, only to hear arguing.

"Lucy, I told you I was fighting Laxus, come on!"

"Well, he messed with my mate, so this is my fight!"

"Piri, piri!"

"Let me at em' demon girl!"

"When the hell did you even show up metal face?" Lucy questioned.

"You're a jerk you know that."

Erza slapped her face at the three idiots who thought arguing at a time like now was better than taking down Laxus.

"Screw it, I'll fight Laxus!" Requipping into the lightning outfit Lucy had given her, she charged at Laxus. Once near each other, Erza and Laxus became locked in a battle of constant hits. For every hit Erza gave, Laxus got one back.

"What's that, Lightning Empress Armor?" Laxus realized. "Impressive, but not enough!"

" So, you say! Now tell me what those things are in the sky, Laxus?" Erza growled, tossing a punch at Laxus torso.

"You haven't heard?" The man sneered narrowly dodging and sending a bolt of lightning at the woman. "It's the Thunder Palace!"

Erza was shocked. "You're going to attack the town? You monster!"

"Two minutes left to go." Laxus observed calmly.

"Natsu, dumb demon!" Erza commanded. "You have to go destroy those things!"

"We can't!" The boy protested, in a headlock by Lucy. "Anyone who destroys one will get zapped in retaliation!"

Erza scowled as one of Laxus's attack sent her skidding back. "Living Link Magic?"

"Yeah, I shot a lacrima and it shocked me!" Lucy yelled, Gajeel and Natsu dog piling her to the ground.

"Wh- you would do something like that." Erza mumbled.

"STOP IT ALREADY! I told you I will take care of him!" Natsu yelled angrily. "So, stop getting in my way!"

"I can trust you on this, right?" Erza smiled at the other three, before sprinting out of the church.

"It's useless!" Laxus called after her. "There are three hundred of those floating around town. Destroying one could kill you. Not to mention you're out of time!"

"Then I guess I'll just have to destroy them all at once." Erza declared resolutely.

"Impossible!" He cackled. "And even if you succeed, you'll die!"

"But the town will be safe, right?" Erza shot back.

"Did she just say what I think she said Gemini?" Lucy questioned.

"I think she did Lucy, piri piri."

"Lucifer, she's hot, but dumb." The celestial mage said while clutching her chest. "Gemini, mind following my mate and helping so she doesn't die before I mate with her".

"Okay, piri, piri. Anyone we should copy?"

"Yeah…do Laxus" Lucy smirked.

"Got it." Before Laxus could even try to stop the spirit, they quickly transformed into an exact replica of him and zapped themselves out of the cathedral after their master's mate.

"Dammit!" Laxus cursed, moving to intercept the spirit only to get stopped by Lucy's celestial fire.

"Ahhh!" Laxus felt more than saw the fire coming his way as he tried to reach the copy of himself. The searing pain he felt as it touched his arm was so painful, he had never thought someone as strong as himself would ever experience such a thing. He couldn't help, but gasp in shock as his arm fell limply to his side.

"What the hell did you do?!" Laxus roared.

Lucy chuckled darkly, staring back at the lightning mage. "You may be able to handle Natsu's flames but there is no one around who can handle the flames of a celestial demon. But don't worry if you get that treated in time, you might gain some use of that arm."

"Whoa. Luce" Natsu whispered.

"Demon girl." Gajeel said, shocked that her flames were able to do that. Just how much is she holding back when she fights, he wonders.

"I made a promise to Natsu I wouldn't kill Laxus, never said I wouldn't destroy you." She grinned devilishly.

"Aww come on Lucy this is my time to show Laxus how strong I've gotten, and you!" Natsu whined.

Lucy turned down her flames to look to her best friend. Seeing the giant pout on his face made her sigh and remind her of when she would whine to Lucifer until he would let her take on groups of bandits by herself. A small smile appeared on her face at the memory.

"Tch, fine. I wanted to take a nap anyways. But I'm taking over if it looks like you are getting overwhelmed. Got it?" Lucy threatens.

"That's all I ask, Luce!"

"Got it Demon Girl!"

"Wasn't even talking to you metal boy but whatever you can help out too." Lucy chuckled.

"I hate you."

* * *

Lucy laid on her side, waiting for the moment she would get to take Laxus down. It's not that she didn't believe in Natsu or even Gajeel's strength it's just they weren't ready to take on the S-class mage, not yet at least.

"I wonder if maybe I shoulda warned those guys about Laxus dragon slayers powers" she yawned, "I mean if he brings that out then Natsu and Gajeel will for sure be out of the game and I'll have to take over. Damn this guild is always getting into trouble."

" _Oh, shut up and make sure your friends don't die, brat."_

" _Tch."_

* * *

"Heavens Circle sword!"

Meanwhile outside of the cathedral in the middle of the town stood Erza in her heavens wheel armor, numerous swords surrounding her.

"199...200." Erza couldn't help but fall on her knees exhausted from the amount of magic she had used to conjure up her swords.

"Damn it, and I still don't have enough swords for this!" Erza cursed, sweat dripping off her face.

"Piri, piri. Don't worry Lucy's mate we got this."

Erza turned surprised, "Laxus?!"

"Piri! Gemi-Laxus. We were sent by our master to help you out because she knew you were going to do something stupid, like try to take out all the lacrimas yourself. It turns out she was right. Piri piri."

Erza wasn't sure whether to be flattered by the spirits words or insulted. In the end she felt insulted. "I am not doing something stupid; I am just trying to help stop the town from being destroyed! Besides she does way more stupid stuff then me!"

Gemi Laxus turned to Erza with a giant smile, it sent shivers down the knight mages spine given how out of character it was for the lightning mage.

"Sorry, but we would never hear the end of it if we let you get hurt, and please don't call what our master does to help you people stupid."

Erza felt a bead of sweat fall from her face and nodded. "Yes, my apologies. But uh, if the lacrimas relate to body link magic isn't Lucy going to _die_ from the amount of shock you'll be giving her by taking all these down on your own?"

The twin spirits paused for a moment to think before shrugging. "Not sure…guess we'll see. Oh, and you can recall all those swords, so you don't get any more tired."

" _Oh my god, her spirits are as dumb as her."_

However, she took the spirits advice and requipped her swords feeling better at not having to maintain having so many swords out.

"Let's see…what spell can we use that'll work?", copy Laxus mumbled. Erza watched nervously as the Laxus in front of her continued to whisper to himself, unsure whether he would be able to live up to their promise.

"Uh, Gemini- "

"Let's try this one!"

Erza gasped at the magical power that erupted around the copy, even as a spirit the power it emitted was amazing. Lightning began to surround Gemi-Laxus while Erza watched, a thunderous boom erupting from the spirit throwing her back.

"Lightning Spirit Heavenward Boom Boom Thunder Shock!"

The power Gemini put behind the spell was enough to knock Erza off her feet and cover the sky in lightning. In less than a minute the sky was littered with golden explosions of lightning. Every Lacrima in the sky destroyed by Gemi-Laxus's spell.

"THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S A REAL SPELL!"

"Yeah, we improved the spell!" Gemi-Laxus said happily, again creeping Erza out.

"I don't think it works that way, but okay. At least we have the thunder palace gone…but Gemini, the body link magic, who will it effect?"

Gemini looked at Erza frowning sadly. "We apologize for lying to you Miss Lucy's mate, but she told us-..."

Before the twins could finish their words, they vanished, in the distance a guttural scream was heard.

"Dumb demon." Erza whispered.

* * *

Lucy had awoken from her slumber after feeling a chill run down her spine. Looking around for the source but finding nothing she decided to watch her two friends fight Laxus, instead of going back to sleep.

She began walking to a pillar when an electric shock ran through her entire body making her freeze up. "GRRRAAAAHHHHHHHH AAAAHHH AHHHHH"

The celestial mage/demon slayer fell on one knee slightly out of breath. A sheen of sweat was covering her face as she felt a drop in her magic containers. However, a giant smirk appeared on her face as she realized Gemini had fulfilled their mission and taken down the thunder palace.

* * *

"Salamander...did demon girl just get electrocuted and get back up smiling?" Gajeel said pausing to take a breath.

"Yeah…Luce is awesome!" Natsu yelled rushing towards Laxus with a flaming fist.

"What is she?" Laxus mumbled before blocking Natsu's fire punch with his good arm.

"She's my best friend and I'm gonna take you done for hurting her and Fairy Tail!" Natsu yelled.

"Oh, please I'm just weeding out the weak from the strong. I wanted my Fairy Tail to be strong, is that so wrong!" Laxus corrected him, lightning still streaming from his body.

"But you know what it doesn't matter now! I should never have bothered bargaining... I should have relied on my power from the very beginning!"

Natsu charged forward with a flaming fist. "Then I guess if I crush your power, you'll finally give up, Laxus! Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"You're only the first..." Laxus smirked, barely affected by the attack. "Come and try me, Fairy Tail!" He shouted, blowing Natsu away with a lightning-infused palm. "I'll take everything you throw at me!"

"Gladly!" Gajeel roared. "Iron dragon lance!"

Despite the surprise in attack Laxus was still able to nimbly dodge it and retaliate flawlessly driving Gajeel into the ground making sure the other man didn't get back up. His focus going back to Natsu.

Laxus laughed as he shot forward to where Natsu had landed earlier and slammed him in the face with a knee, following up with a series of brutal kicks. Natsu screamed as Laxus sent lightning tearing across the ground at him. The dragon slayer landing next to Gajeel who was still embedded in the ground.

"You really are tough." The fire user smirked, panting and slumping as his strength faded. _"Even with Luce's so-called handicap."_

"Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder... plunge from the heavens and reap destruction." Laxus intoned, gathering a huge amount of lightning and discharging it at Natsu. "Raging Bolt!"

He grinned when the smoke cleared and only rubble remained where Natsu had been moments ago. "Haha... hahahaha!" He laughed. "Natsu... Who is the strongest man in the guild? Well, I guess you can't answer since you've been blown to bits!"

"I know the old man didn't want me to kill you blondie, but you hurt my best friend and metal face-

"You really suck demon girl" Gajeel moaned.

"Shaddup I'm monolaging. Whatever look I'm gonna kill you now because you hurt my mate and Natsu."

As the dust settled, he saw the dumb blonde holding Natsu and Gajeel on her shoulders like rag dolls. Slightly impressed at the speed she must've used to save the two mages he finally acknowledged her presence, ready to finally show her who was the strongest mage in Fairy Tail.

"Oh? You think you can kill me…well I'd like to see you try." Laxus observed. "All who stand before me shall be reduced to nothing!"

"I'll handle Laxus..." Natsu grit his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "You stay back..."

"I have a personal grudge to settle with this guy." Gajeel shot back. "However, given that he's Makarov's flesh and blood, he's got the strength of a monster. We may not like it, but we hardly have a choice... we fight him together."

Lucy looked at the two dragon slayers incredulous. "I just...told you two I was gonna fight this idiot and you…whatever go ahead and get your asses kicked. See if I care, not like you're not gonna be defeated in a few minutes", she grumbled.

"Eh?" Natsu's jaw dropped, ignoring Lucy. "Screw that! I'm gonna take him out myself! Why would I team up with you?"

"Take a good look." Gajeel indicated the cackling madman in front of them. "Is that really the Laxus you know?"

"That is an enemy of the guild!" He announced. "We have to stop him here and now in order to keep the guild safe! The others are tired from fighting already, and no one other than us can win against him. Do you know what will happen if we fail here?"

"Excuse me, metal man!" Lucy shouted from where she stood!"

Natsu smirked. "I thought... there wasn't enough room in the sky for two dragons..."

"There isn't." Gajeel grinned. "But with all that lightning around, the sky isn't a good place to fly in. Now let's gah!"

Lucy rolled her eyes still waiting for her moment to enter the fray. Unfortunately, since Laxus had yet to bring out his trump card she was unable to assist the two dragon slayers. _Damn celestial promises._

Laxus grinned when both boys leapt at him and grabbing Natsu's incoming hand, tossing him at Gajeel.

"Roar, Salamander!" Gajeel commanded, shooting out an Iron Dragon's Club. Natsu nodded and spat out a gust of flame, surrounding the weapon and enhancing destructive power, causing Laxus to block with a lightning shield. The man scowled and threw out a barrage of lightning orbs at them, knocking Gajeel down.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!" Natsu shouted, appearing behind Laxus and landing a solid hit on him, sending him towards the ground.

"Iron Dragon's Lance!" Gajeel yelled, shooting out a series of sharp weapons at the falling man.

"Fire Dragon's..."

"Iron Dragon's..."

"Roar!" They chorused, combining the attacks and creating a huge explosion.

"Is that all you can do?" Laxus sneered as the smoke cleared, suddenly having a weird rune on his chest. "Then this is the power of Dragon Slayers..."

"Impossible!" Gajeel scowled. "He used the magic of Dragon Interception... there's no way!"

"It's simple!" Laxus grinned. "Gramps always told me to keep quiet, but now I can show you how special I am."

Natsu and Gajeel watched in shock as his muscles bulged and he grew.

"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" He shouted, blasting them backwards and carving a trench in the ground.

* * *

Lucy pushed herself off the pillar she was leaning on finishing off her celestial food, the crackle of lightning calling her attention. "Tch, shoulda known they wouldn't be able to beat him as he was. I'm sorry Natsu."

Slowly moving to where the three mages were currently fighting, she watched as her two friends were getting beaten. "But I also told you, you were gonna get your ass kicked so, guess it evens out."

* * *

"You are still alive..." He muttered, observing their groaning forms. "I will finish it. You two, Erza, Mystogan, Gramps, all the people in the guild and the town of Magnolia... I will exterminate you all!"

Light began to gather in his hands.

"Whoa, Plue look he's gonna use that." Lucy said pointing at the light.

"Pun, pun!"

"Nah, we'll be okay…I think."

"Fairy Law..." Gajeel muttered. "The attack that defeated Master Jose... something like that will target everyone that the caster sees as his opponent!"

"Stop, Laxus!" Levy rushed into the ruined church, distracting everyone.

"You fool!" Gajeel roared. "Get out of here!"

"Master... your grandfather... he's dying!" Levy yelled at Laxus. "So please... just stop this! Go and see him!"

Everyone stared in shock as Laxus began to chuckle. "Well, that suits me just fine. Looks like my chances of becoming Master have gone up again!"

"Why, you..."

"Now perish, Fairy Tail!" Laxus roared. "I'll build you up again from scratch. I'll create the ultimate guild that will never lose and make everyone quake in fear!"

Natsu grit his teeth. "Bastard..."

"Fairy Law!" Laxus clapped his hands. "Activate!"

A huge burst of light swept through the entire city.

"I've done it..." Laxus panted. "I surpassed him..."

His eyes widened when he saw Levy coughing. "No way... it's not possible! Why are they not dead?!"

* * *

"Oh, thank Lucifer I was right" Lucy chuckled quietly before straightening her back and heading towards Laxus.

"You are a fucking idiot; you know that brat?" Aquarius said.

* * *

"What the hell is going on?" Laxus roared, watching Gajeel and Natsu stand up weakly using each other to keep steady. "How could they have survived an attack of this power?"

"Hmm, not sure about out there, but from what I can see here, no one's hurt, blondie." Lucy pointed out.

"What are you talking about idiot!" Laxus exclaimed. "That's not possible! My Fairy Law was perfect!"

"Tsk, it doesn't matter if your magic is perfect, if your intent is all wrong then it's useless." Lucy drawled.

"Your power and ability I'll admit aren't something to joke about, but it seems that as much as you brag about hating us your heart thinks otherwise. Not gonna lie, it was risky, like super super risky of me to even let you cast that, but the old man explained to me how his spell works. Fairy Law only attacks those the caster considers enemies... catch what I'm saying lightning bolt?"

When she saw Laxus still didn't seem to understand what she was trying to say she continued with her explanation.

" What a drag, look Laxus you don't consider anyone here your enemy. You can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to magic." the demon slayer explained. "Lucifer told me this."

Laxus grit his teeth. "No! Anyone who gets in my way is an enemy. They're all enemies!"

"Give it up already, Laxus." Levy begged. "Just go see the Master."

"I don't care what happens to him!" Laxus screamed. "I'm my own person, not his grandson. I'm Laxus!"

"We know that already." Natsu scoffed. "Don't get too arrogant on us. So, what if you're his grandson? Does that make you special or different? Stop getting so worked up over one blood relation! The guild is all the family you need!"

"How could you ever understand..." Laxus grit his teeth.

"Do we have to understand?" Natsu shot back, going to charge at Laxus but being held back but Lucy.

"I told you if you couldn't take him out then I would take over. Now it's my turn Natsu."

"But Lu- "

"Natsu. It's time for a demon to enter the sky that a dragon can't." Lucy growled showing off her canines, pulling back both guild members.

"So just sit down already."

"Alright." Natsu frowned.

Lucy lit up her fist and turned towards the lighting mage, a dangerous look in her eye that put Laxus on edge. He was slightly tired from his fight with Natsu and Gajeel, add in those hits from her earlier, his useless arm, and he was on his last legs. That said he still didn't plan on losing.

"If you think I'm gonna lose to an idiot like you then you're WRONG!" Laxus roared, readying his own attack. "Get ready to die!"

"Demons can't die!"

Lightning crackled around Laxus as he ran towards Lucy who was engulfed in flames. A thunderous boom sounded as both fists connected. Levy and the others gasping in shock as the fighters jumped back.

"You..." Laxus growled. "NEED TO DIE!" He shouted, smashing Lucy into the ground. "No one is going to take the guild away from me!"

"The guild isn't even yours!" Lucy growled, quickly rolling away from a downward kick from Laxus.

Before Laxus could react, he was sent upwards from an uppercut. "Ugh."

Lucy not wanting to let up jumped high in the air to meet him and sent him back down to the ground with a kick to the back.

"FLAMING DEMON KICK!"

"Ack!" Those still in the cathedral watched in awe as Laxus was sent shooting down into the ground unmoving. A few seconds later the celestial demon girl landed right next to his body to pick him up and toss him across the building.

"Flaming scarlet Wrath!" A flurry of flames shot out of the girls' mouth hitting Laxus directly in the chest.

"AHHHH!"

"She's not even giving him time to react!" Freed yelled. He had just showed up in time to see the ensuing fight between their newest member and his leader. He was horrified by the beating his leader was getting. "Laxus, are you okay!?"

"I'll ne-never give the guild...up!" Laxus ordered, shakily getting up. Blood ran down his face, parts of his body were burnt but still his stubbornness to show he was strongest kept him going. He charged up his fist, trying to smash Lucy away when close enough but just missing.

Lucy, however, didn't and sent a bright golden fist into the blondes' stomach, shock written across his face as he was thrown through several benches and embedded into the buildings wall.

"Lucy..." Levy whispered. "Stop, please!"

"I' ...ENOUGH OF THIS" Laxus screamed, gathering whatever lightning energy he could in his hand. "I'll burn you so bad there won't be ashes left of you!"

"Don't do it!" Freed protested. "If you use that on her with the way you are now-"

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!"

"Both of you will die!" Freed yelled in horror.

Levy covered her eyes unable to watch as the attack reached Lucy. "No..."

"I thought I told you" Lucy growled, behind Laxus with a cold gaze. " demons don't die."

"What, how did you?"

"You hurt my mate and my friends…now you'll see why I'm called the Ishgar Demon, the most feared mage in all of the west." Lucy said emotionlessly.

For once everyone could finally see an emotion on Laxus's face besides cockiness. Instead they saw genuine fear, a plea for help and what made it worst was they could do nothing.

"Lightning Demon Flame!"

"Ack-"

Laxus never even had the chance to move before Lucy let loose a torrent of flames mixed with his lightning straight at his back. A bittersweet lost for someone to be taken down by their own power.

"Impossible..." Laxus groaned, collapsing. "Defeated with my own magic..."

"He..." Freed gaped at the scene with wide eyes. "Laxus was beaten..."

"Well duh, did you really think you guys had a fighting chance against someone like me?" Lucy scoffed uncaring of all her injuries.

"Uh, well-" The rune mage was frightened to answer her back, remembering her threat before the fight began.

"Yeah, didn't think so. Oh, and before I forget, FLAMING LUCIFER PUNCH!"

"ACK!"

"Lucy!"

"Lu-chan!"

"Demon girl!"

The three mages surrounding her stared in disbelief that she would punch someone unconscious even after all the fighting was over. All they could do now was hop that the two mages lying unconscious weren't hurt too bad.

* * *

"Ow Mate!" Lucy frowned from the confines of her bed.

"Oh, my apologies, would you rather the "hot" woman from the food cart bandage you up." Erza drawled.

"Hmm, nah I don't think she really knows how to do this type of stuff. That's not to say she doesn't know how to cook because she does, but I thi-ack" Lucy groaned as her mate punched her in the stomach without warning. "Mate. What was that for?"

"My fist slipped."

"Oh! Okay, anyways as I was saying sure the vendor can cook but I think you'd be better at this type of stuff then her. I mean your strong smart, hot- ack!"

Again, Lucy found an armored cover fist in her stomach, courtesy of Erza who was blushing profusely at her words.

"Oh-come on what was that for! I know your arm didn't slip that time!"

"I... I'm going to leave this to Mira!"

As Lucy watched her mate run out of the infirmary, she called upon her spirit who appeared in a matter of seconds.

"Did princess call?" Virgo interrupts, while holding a platter of celestial food.

"Heck yeah I did. You're the best Virgo. This'll fix me up no problem! Shanks!"

"Of course, princess." In a flash the maid disappears, right as Mira is appearing to bandage up Lucy who was already standing up, no signs of any injuries on her.

"Oh my, Lucy you're already healed, but I came in to bandage you." Mira said, shock written all over her face as Lucy walked closer to Mira smirking.

"Fast healing. Told ya I woulda been a worthy mate."

Mira blushed at the girls words before giggling, "Poor Erza. She's gonna have her hands full when they actually mate."

* * *

Makarov frowned from where he lay, turning to his heavily bandaged grandson. Shocked he wasn't in coma like his teammates. "Laxus. Do you understand what you have done?"

He eyed the blond man sternly who stayed silent. "Do you know what this guild is? What it was what made for?"

Laxus still hadn't spoke, he knew had no right to speak despite his grandfather asking him these questions.

"It's a place for people, friends, and teams, gather and take missions. To those who don't have families, it's even their home. It does not and will never 'belong' to anyone."

Laxus bit his lip, holding back unshed tears.

"Our founders built this guild upon the trust and honor of each individual member." Makarov explained.

"After your debacle today, you have violated that honor and put the lives of your comrades in danger." Makarov sighed. "Not to mention despite warnings from Lucy you still went ahead harming her mate and caused irreparable damage to your arm, and putting Freed, Bixlow and Evergreen in a coma."

"I understand." Laxus sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I don't think you do! I can't even punish the idiot because of the warning she first gave us when she joined. Let alone the promise I gave of no punishment for this type of thing when she helped Gray!" Makarov sighed.

"I thought that damn prayer was a fluke but then Gray mentioned hearing a voice in his head and a random surge of power flowing through his body."

The guild master rubbed his forward tiredly, "Now that damn girl won't stop bragging to everyone about how awesome she and her father is!"

Laxus cringed at his gramps words. It seemed the more angered he got at him the more power seeped from him suffocating the younger man.

"I just... I just wanted to make this guild stronger and be known all over as the strongest guild."

Laxus looked down, taking in the day's events and the repercussions of his actions. Looking at it now he can understand what Mystogan meant.

"You know, watching you grow up was one of the brightest and best parts of my life." Makarov smiled. "I didn't want or need you to be smart or strong. Hell, you didn't even have to be a mage... all I needed was for you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted."

Tears appeared in Laxus' eyes.

"Laxus..." Makarov clenched his fist tightly. "You are hereby excommunicated from this guild."

Laxus stared at him for a moment, before turning to leave. "Right. Thanks for everything... Gramps. Take care of yourself."

"Goodbye...Laxus."

* * *

"Yeah, I'm not sorry for what I did, and you should know that old man."

Makarov pinched the brim of his eyes, "Lucy my dear, I understand that but next time something like this happens could you not harm your guild mates so much. Freed, Bixlow and Evergreen are in comas! Porlyusica can't even predict when they'll- where the hell did she just go?!"

Natsu turned to the master to see what he was talking about, nodding his head to a corner of the guild. "Oh, Lucy got bored and walked off to flirt with Erza."

Levy nodded her head to verify Natsu's words, "Yeah she walked off once you got to "next time". She also said there better not be a next time since she joined this guild to relax. Not constantly have to fight like in Alakitasia."

The guild winced at Levy's words turning to the blonde slayer who was talking to the scarlet haired mage with a giant smile on her face while hooking her cloak on the other woman. The knight mage however was trying to decline the offer, claiming her wearing it was a one-time thing.

"Well…you've brats have been warned." Makarov said taking a gulp of his beer.

* * *

Lucy had never been to a "festival such as the one Fairy Tail was throwing. It being her first time she really would've rather watched it than be in it, but given she was performing with her mate it she didn't mind all that much.

"We are not performing a mating ritual in front of the whole town dumb demon." Erza deadpanned.

"Tch, fine then what are we gonna do?" Lucy sighed.

"I have an idea, Lucy." Mira smiled, a mischievous look in her eye.

* * *

The streets were alive with crowds waiting for the parade to pass them. People cheered for their favorite guild members as they spotted them on a float or walking alongside one. Many different magic techniques were being used, all of them designed to amaze and impress the audience.

Gray and Juvia had created a large ice castle with jets of water shooting around it. Laki, Bisca, and Levy were dancing and waving flags. While Natsu trailed behind, shooting out flames that formed the name 'Fairy Tail' in the sky.

But the most watched float was probably the last one carrying the two most well-known wizards in all Ishgar. Mira's wonderful idea was to dress up Erza in a long red gown with a princess tiara, while Lucy wore a suit resembling that of a prince with her own crown. The float was called the Prince and Princess of Fairy Tail.

"I'm going to kill everyone who helped with this", Erza growled.

"I think we look great, mate!" Lucy said happily, deciding to lift Erza up in a bridal carry, causing much of the female population to scream at the dashing prince and her theatrics.

"Scratch that, I'm just going to kill you."

* * *

 **Authors note: Yeah so I hope you like this chapter as much as I did. I felt that uploading two chapters would be maybe a good apology for the long wait for finishing this arc. Hopefully you enjoy the funny parts in this. Feel free to comment, follow anything. The next chapter however will be a pause and instead it will be more of an omake explaining how Lucy met that little girl who healed her eye. So yeah, please enjoy this. And if you like my stuff please feel free to donate to my ko-fi under same pen name.**


	24. Meeting Windy AKA lil' dragon

**Thank you to everyone who comments, follows and even favorites this story. You are the one who encourages me to continue writing.**

 **Authors note:**

 **okay this is probably the longest i've gone without a update and even then this is more of an omake then an actual update before the next arc hopefully you guys are still cool with this. While I do love writing this is a hobby so I have to juggle my time wisely so I can actually put in time to put together a decent chapter and not half ass it. Hopefully I still have some readers who enjoy this. Like follow comment do what you will and forgive me for the long wait.**

* * *

 **Five years before Lucifer goes missing**

Lucy and Lucifer had been in the middle of a sparring session when all the sudden, "DUCK LITTLE DEMON!"

"There's a du-ahhh!" Before Lucy could register what was happening a sharp pain erupted in her left eye a warm liquid seeping down her cheek.

Jumping to action the fire demon hurries to his protegy clutching their eye which now seems to be bleeding heavily. Moving her hands, he sees a small but deep gash beneath her eye. _I mean... it_ _doesn't look that serious._

"Well everything looks A-Okay no need to worry." Lucifer assured the girl.

Lucy nodded. "Ya sure Luce cause it's a lil hard to see."

"Little, not a lot?"

"Yeah."

"Then your fine. I'm sure it'll go away soon."

 **A few weeks later**

"So, did your eyesight come back?" Luce coughed.

"Uhm, well I can see dark shadows, does that count?"

Lucifer nodded. "Sure does, bud! But for the record this coulda been avoided had you ducked."

"That's true. Now I'm half blind!" Lucy laughed, Lucifer cackling alongside her.

On the sidelines stood Capricorn and Cancer holding back Aquarius, currently trying her best to extinguish the fire demon.

"He made my damn brat blind in one eye, I'm gonna kill em!"

"Aquarius-Sama no!"

"Ebi!"

* * *

"Hey Luce, does the scar under my eye look cool?" Lucy asked, leaning back on her father figure.

"Are you kidding me, you look super bad ass. Humans love scars", Lucifer says, winking.

Lucy sat up, her one eye shining, as her other was currently out of commission until her and Lucifer found a healer. At first, she was hesitant to believe her father figure but given that he hadn't led her astray yet, she decided to give the demon the benefit of the doubt.

"No way! You think with I'll be a hit with the boys and girls with this scar?" Lucy asked intrigued by this newfound information.

"Swing both ways eh, nice. Yeah, I don't see why not. Besides, you're my daughter they'd be dumb not too" he scoffed. "Plus, when they ask how you got it you can brag and say you got it from the strongest demon of Earthland."

To be honest he wasn't entirely sure, seeing as he was a fire demon he didn't scar, and he didn't really have any contact with humans but from what he heard during his travels he was partially right about woman liking scars.

"You're right I can! And with how much you scar me humans won't be able to keep their hands off me!" Lucy cheered, unaware of the killing intent behind her.

"Smack!"

"First off, you're a human too brat! Second, you are not going to be a little harlot!" Aquarius yelled. "So, don't even think about going around getting scars just because the damn demon says people like them got it!"

"Yes Aqua!" Lucy saluted.

"Swear to god I'm raising two toddlers", she mumbled going off to the lake to rest.

* * *

 **One year later. Age 14 after Lucifer has left.**

"You said if we take a right here, we'd be in in Alvarez already!"

"No brat, I said we should've been in Alvarez already, but you've managed to get us lost in this damned forest!"

"Liar" she grumbled.

It had been a few weeks since Lucifer abandoned Lucy in the middle of a random forest in Fiore. After taking some time to recover her father leaving her Lucy found a new objective in Alvarez where she planned to destroy all the dark guilds there. If only she could get her sense of directions straight.

The next few hours Lucy's trip to Alvarez went in silence as she tried her best to get them out of the forest they were wandering aimlessly. Since Lucy was never good with directions, she had always relied on Luce to lead her. The demon had traveled all over Earthland before he met Lucy, so it was only logical he be the one lead them to wherever new place they were headed to.

 **The next morning**

"Hey, Loke, you've been on Earthland for a while you got any idea how to get to Alvarez?" Lucy inquired.

"Sorry princess, but I've never actually been that far out but I'm sure once we get to a train station, we can get directions there." He said apologetically to his savior.

* * *

Loke was extremely lucky that during one of Lucy's annihilation's of a dark guild in Balsam Village, before Luce disappeared, she had run into him before he was overrun by a group of dark mages. When she found him, she quickly figured out he was a celestial spirit, banned from the spirit world for killing his last master.

"Not technically Loke! It was your master's fault but stachface, "the spirit king Lucy!", said it was yours, so he banished you to the human world until you just sorta began to shimmer away.

"Yes," Loke chuckled, "Cue one loud conversation with the ruler of the spirit world about how ridiculous their rules are and an apology later and I now, happily, serve as her loyal spirit."

" _Who was Lucy-Sama and Loke-Sama telling that story to?" Capricorn asked._

" _Who knows?" Aquarius answered enjoying the popcorn Cancer had made._

* * *

Lucy was passing through a dense part of the forest in search a good spot for her to stay at but so far having no luck. She realized despite having enhanced senses, her partial blindness was hindering her from being able to see the entire forest to the best of her ability. Unaware of the spirit behind her making sure she didn't get in anymore trouble then she was probably going to get herself in.

It was nearing evening when Lucy discovered what looked like a tribal guild. Looking to see if anyone was around, she quickly noticed a tiny blue haired child. The discovery of another child was exciting since Lucy had such rare interactions with them. Lucy may have left her parents when she was nine, but she was very sheltered never having met any other children to play with...well there was Michelle but Lucy's not sure if she technically counts.

"HEY, YOU TINY BLUE KID!"

"AHH!"

* * *

When Wendy woke up, she felt like something amazing was going to happen. She wasn't sure what that would be, but she knew it would be a nice-

"Child pay attention to where you're going you almost tripped!"

Wendy looked to where her best friend Charle was talking about and indeed saw a giant root was sticking out. "Thanks, Charle that would've hurt if I fell."

"Tch...yes that's why I warned you."

The two continued walking towards their guild Cait Shelter after going for a walk around the woods. Nothing out of the ordinary really. Well until now.

"HEY, YOU TINY BLUE KID!"

"AHHH!" Wendy screamed at the loud voice screaming at her. Turning to see the voice she saw a tall blonde girl with a goofy grin running to her at such a high speed she wasn't sure she would be able to stop in time.

"HEY, HEY, MY NAMES LU-AHH" Incidentally Lucy was running so fast towards Wendy she failed to notice the root that Wendy had just dodged causing her to trip and tumble all the way towards her. However, it seemed that despite the harsh fall she was unaffected, immediately jumping up and greeting the younger girl.

"My names Lucy, but Luce called me little demon! What's your name? Do you live around here? I'm headed for Alvarez that's in the west in Alakitasia, but I'm kinda tired and looking for a place to stay at for now. Hey, is that a flying cat? I've never seen that before! You're hair's cool."

" _LUCY!"_ Aquarius shouted.

"Oh yeah anyways, can you help me find a cave or something to stay at?!" Lucy finished, grinning at the girl goofily.

Wendy and Charle looked to each other both overwhelmed by the girls' hyper attitude and at the sheer amount of questions asked. Nevertheless, they were able to get the gist of what she was asking, and while Charle wanted to consider the unknown girl a threat, just hearing her speak and seeing the goofy look on her face, made Wendy seem more like a threat than her.

"Um, I'm Wendy and this is Charle. As for a place to stay well, I'm not sure about a cave being anywhere for you to stay at but, uh, if you don't mind my guild is nearby so you could stay awhile till you do... if you want of course", Wendy muttered shyly.

Lucy tapped her chin in thought shouting, "Alright let's go, I need a nap Windy!" then hugging her. The little girl smiled widely at the sweet gesture; it has been awhile since such a thing has occurred. Then blanching at what the older girl had just called her.

"Windy?"

* * *

Both mages were headed towards the smaller child's guild, chatting excitedly about what they should do when they get to the guild. Well one of them was, the other one was happily listening to the older one talk about any and everything.

"Yeah so when we get their let's take a nap then eat, you're a mage right, Windy, let's spar! I'm super strong but I'll take it easy on you! I'm headed to Alvarez because I was told if I want to be the strongest slayer than I must go there and defeat all the dark guilds by my dad. He left me a few months ago and I've been tryna get there but I'm not the best at directions-

Wendy smiled at the blonde speak, it's been awhile since she had any interaction with someone close to her age. Granted she knew Lucy was still older than her by a few years it was till nice knowing another kid

"It's Wendy, Lucy-san and wait why did your dad leave you?"

Lucy stared at the little girl who interrupted her and shrugged. "Beats me he's a jerk like that. I mean one second we're napping in the woods like usual the next second I'm waking up to him gone. Stupid demon. We were together for five years then he just up and disappeared…but I know he's out there somewhere, he would never just up and leave me without a reason."

Wendy gawked at the older girl, a demon…her father was a demon. Then it hit her Lucy-san was also a slayer!

"Lucy-san you're a slayer also!" the girl squealed excitedly.

Lucy looked to the smaller girl with a giant smile, "Yeah I am, I'm a celestial fire demon slayer. How about you?"

"I'm a sky dragon slayer. My dragon was Grandeeney and she also left me a few years ago." Wendy said, that last part whispered.

Lucy stared at the smaller bluenette, before a grin erupted on her face. "You were raised by a dragon…that's so cool" she whispered. "But don't worry I'll just search for your dragon while searching for Lucifer!"

"You will?" the younger girl asked shyly.

"Heck yeah and that's a promise and celestial mages never break their promises, Windy!"

"Thank you, Lucy-san, but it's Wendy."

"What's the difference?" Lucy asked.

Wendy looked to the ground in defeat and continued to lead the blonde to her guild. "It's nothing. Windy's fine."

"My goodness child, if you let people call you whatever you want, you'll never grow a backbone…then again I doubt you'll ever get through to her." Charle sighed, Wendy nodding in agreement.

It was a few moments later a hand landed on her shoulder scaring her. "Ahhh!"

"My apologies. I'm Loke one of Lucy's spirits. I just wanted to apologize for my masters…slowness. She's really nice underneath her obliviousness and I think you'll come to find you both have a lot in common."

Wendy looked to the blonde who was smiling happily. "Okay? Wait spirits…What exactly is Lucy's magic? I thought it was just demon slayer magic."

"Well it is, but she is also a celestial mage." Loke stated proudly. "She's quite powerful for her age."

Wendy turned to the older girl who was trying to get her foot unstuck from a hole she had fallen in and turned to the spirit.

"I said she was powerful, I said nothing about being smart."

* * *

"Hey so what can you do since you're a sky dragon? Oh man can you eat air?! What's it tastes like lil' dragon tell me tell me! Oh, is that why your names Windy, because your magic is air. That actually makes a lot of sense."

Wendy couldn't believe how...slow this girl was but at the same time found it nice to still be interacting with another teen. Well she's a teen, Wendy was barely nine but she's pretty sure out of the two she was the more sensible of the two.

"Uhm, well air is just kind of airy, I guess. And I can do a dragon roar and heal people."

"You can heal people like even really old injuries that might be per-ma-net?" she sounded out.

Wendy stared at Lucy confused trying to figure out why she had to sound out such a simple word before answering her question and even then, she's pretty sure she said it wrong. "Oh, I think it really depends on the injury really."

Lucy hummed at the girls answer, then bent down to the girls' eye level and pointed to her face. "I'm blind in my left eye can you heal me?"

"Oh my gosh Lucy-san how did that happen?" Wendy panicked.

Lucy waved off the smaller girls panicked worries. "My jerk of a dad stabbed me in the eye during one of our spars, but anyways do you think you could do it?"

Wendy swallowed nervously, "Um maybe?"

"If not it's whatever." Lucy shrugged. "My other sense is really good I just like having two eyes to see you know."

Wendy gawked at the young girl who shrugged off the fact she may be permanently blind in her eye, in awe that she would say such a thing. Taking a deep breath, she decided to take a chance and heal the girl she had just met. She seemed nice enough to help and who knows since she's also a slayer maybe she would be willing to help train her to be strong like her.

"Um, well, I'm not very good at it just yet, but maybe I could try to heal you?"

Lucy looked at the little girl then Aquarius, who was still out, before smiling, "AWESOME! You're our hero, Windy!"

* * *

Master Roubaul did not expect anyone to find the location of Cait Shelter any time soon, or if they did he certainly did not expect it to be a preteen with such frightening magical prowess. As much as he wanted to protest their stay, he knew having another child around for Wendy's sake would be beneficial.

"Yes, so I'm gonna need some food and a napping place." The girl said. "Oh, and Windy said she can heal my eye?" Lucy pointed to her scared eye.

"Uh...of course if you go pass those houses over there, you'll find space for yourself and as for our healer I believe you mean Wendy. She can heal you but only if she would like too."

Roubaul turned to his youngest member who was smiling happily, "She seems kinda slow master but she's very sweet. She even said she'll train me after I heal her eye."

"Well, if you trust her then I will allow her stay."

* * *

 **The next day**

"Wow Windy, you healed my eye like it was nothing!" You sure are powerful for a kid."

Wendy blushed at the praise never having get such praise from anyone. Not even Charle had ever praised her before.

"Nonsense Wendy is still a child despite her powers and needs rest. So, no more exerting yourself Wendy" Charle snapped.

Lucy not liking being scolded went up to the flying cat, apparently having a demon for a father caused things like this to not shock her. "Listen here kitty, when I praise someone it's because it's the truth. So, if I say my Windy is strong it's because it's the truth. Besides exerting yourself is the only way you can expand your magic container, so stop stopping Windy from making herself stronger. Oh, and test me with that tongue of yours and I'll cook ya for dinner."

Charle swallowed any retort she had and let the blonde pass on bye, patting the bluenette on her head before leaving.

Wendy watched as Lucy passed her by with stars in her eyes. She didn't need to see her fight to know the girl was powerful. She had mentioned at dinner that she was a demon slayer and celestial mage, explaining both powers. The fact she was able to have both impressed and made Wendy look up to Lucy so much.

She didn't know when Lucy would be leaving but she hoped she could get a little help from her before she left.

"Brat's got a point. If you don't let this brat strengthen herself how'll she become stronger?" Aquarius asked.

"Wendy is fine where she's at!"

"That's what you say, but what does Wendy think?" Looking to the little girl she goes to speak again, "Hit the damn brat up if you wanna get stronger."

"Charle I'm gonna get trained by another slayer!" Wendy smiled.

* * *

"Miss Lucy!" Wendy yelled.

Lucy turned around to see the little girl she was slowly growing attached to run at her. "Hey it's lil dragon!"

"Huh?"

"Oh yeah well cause your power and you're little. And you were trained by a dragon!"

Wendy thought back to their first encounter and blushed. It had been at least two months since the blonde had decided to stay at her guild, well over the time Lucy planned to stay at the small guild and rest. Although Wendy had offered the older blonde the option to join her guild she had refused, citing that her main objective of going to Alvarez and destroying dark guilds hadn't been fulfilled yet, therefore she would not be joining any guilds until she did.

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

"So, what do ya want lil dragon?"

Wendy looked away momentarily before asking her to spar. "I wanna see if my magics gotten stronger since I've started training with you!"

"HA, alright!"

* * *

 **An 2 hours later**

"Sky Dragon ROAR!"

"FIRE DEMON WRATH!"

"Boom!"

The blow back to the two attacks could be seen for miles, if anyone were in the forest. Instead it was just the two occupants who were fighting each other, one currently sprawled on the ground on the verge of unconsciousness the other smiling at how far their lil dragon has come from the weak little roars they used to conjure up when they first sparred.

"I…Don't really...see…a difference" the smaller child huffed, sprawled on her back exhausted.

Lucy lifted the small child on her back smiling. Despite what the little girl thought she had grown immensely, well compared to her it might not seem like it, but she really has.

"Nah, you've gotten way stronger. You just gotta remember you're facing me the daughter of the strongest demon, course you're not gonna do well against me!"

"That and you have five years of training over her" Charle drawled.

* * *

It was night when Lucy and Loke had finally decided that it was time for them to leave and set off for Alvarez again. Since they had a better idea of where the closest town was it would be easier for Lucy to find a train station and get back on track to her main destination. By morning Lucy and her spirits had everything all packed leaving her alone to give the heartbreaking news to the little girl who had grown so close to Lucy.

"Lucy…why are do you have your cloak on and your bag packed?" a teary eyed bluenette asked.

Lucy looked away awkwardly but realizing that was unfair to the girl looked back to her to answer. "Uh well, remember when I told you I still had that thing I had to do for Luce?"

The girl nodded.

"Well, Loke and the others have agreed that it's time I move on and start for my original destination…I'll miss you lil dragon" she mumbled arms opened wide for a hug.

"I'll miss you to Lucy!" Wendy yelled before tackling the girl in what she considered a giant bear hug. It was like losing Grandeeney and Jellal all over again. Wendy couldn't stop the tears coming down from her eyes no matter how much she wanted them too.

"I promise I'll never stop looking for your dragon and plus I won't be in Alakitasia forever only for a few years, so we'll see each other soon and then you can show me how strong you got, lil dragon!" Lucy cheered, wiping the younger girls' tears.

Wendy nodded her head already counting down to the day she would be reunited with the girl she began to consider her big sis. Unable to stop the onslaught of tears that came when she watched the older girl disappear beyond the trees. The unspoken promise of getting stronger going through both their heads.

* * *

 **Till next time guys thank you again for your support**


	25. The Light Alliance Assembles

"Mira, you wouldn't happen to know where Lucy is would you? That reporter from Weekly Sorcerer is coming and wants to interview her alongside the rest of Fairy Tail."

The guilds bartender tapped her chin in thought, "Hmm, no I haven't actually, but don't worry I can get her right now, Erza." Mira winked.

The scarlet haired mage sweat dropped at the devious look in her friend's eyes. Already she was regretting asking for help locating the dumb demon.

"Oh my god Erza, why are you walking around the guild naked!?" Mira yelled.

"Mira!" Erza screamed, outraged by the bartender's unorthodox way of calling upon the celestial demon slayer.

'BAM!'

The entire guild turned around to see their guild doors broken down by a disheveled goofy looking mage, searching around the guild franticaly. However, before she could take another step further into the guild, she was being wrestled onto the ground by one of her most well-known celestial spirits in the guild, Aquarius.

"LET GO AQUARIUS! I WANNA SEE MY MATE NAKED!" Lucy growled, struggling to stand back up. Little do many know, but only Aquarius could truly handle Lucy's inhumane strength.

"YOU ALREADY HAVE, SO WHY DO YOU NEED TO AGAIN!" she countered.

"BECAUSE!"

"BECAUSE WHAT YOU DUMB HORNY BRAT?!"

"BECAUSE REASONS!" Lucy yelled trying and failing to get out of her spirits grasps. The guild was enjoying seeing their strongest member get manhandled by a giant mermaid... perhaps a bit too much.

Mira turned away covering her mouth to hold back her laughter at the two by the guild entrance. What made the situation even funnier was Erza's face being the same color as the strawberries on her cake.

Once Erza got her face to cool down, she turned to see Lucy looking around disappointed from her spot on the ground. It seems Lucy had finally figured out she had been deceived, yet again. Aquarius, deciding that it should be safe enough to release her brat, let Lucy up and went back to the spirit world. She didn't really care what Lucy did next, so long as it didn't involve harassing Erza.

"Alright, which one of you lied to me about my mate being naked?" Lucy growled, flames beginning to erupt around her. "Turn yourself in now and I won't hurt you too much!"

The entire guild had gone silent at Lucy's declaration. Mira, only finding the current situation even funnier, waited to see what would happen next since she knew Lucy would never actually stand by her threat.

Mira turned around smiling and continued her job of handing out beers. The entire guild looking at the s-class barmaid in betrayal. But of course, no one was brave enough to call out the takeover mage, lest they feel her wrath.

"Was it you Macao?!"

"I didn't say anything!" Macao yells, trying to back away.

"Liar!" Lucy yelled, already beginning to lift the older man by his collar. Romeo merely watching with stars in his eyes as his dad continues to get bullied by his idol.

"Lucy, sit down already." Erza sighed, feeling an oncoming headache from having to deal with the idiot this early in the morning.

"There you are mate!" Lucy smiled goofily, the knight mage purposely looking away embarrassed for being associated with such an adorable idiot. Casually tossing Macao to the side, and ignoring the loud crash, Lucy ran to her mate's side and sat down just as asked, much to the amusement of the guilds'.

"Why aren't you naked?" Lucy asked innocently.

"Thump"

To the guilds surprise it was not only Erza who had punched Lucy into the ground but Aquarius. A tick mark shown clearly on her face.

"Damn brat, I told you to leave the girl alone! What would Layla think?!" Aquarius growled.

Lucy shyly grabbed her cloak to hide her face grumbling sadly. "Mama would be sad I keep tryna see my mate naked before we're mated."

"That's not what I was going for, but sure we'll go with that." The spirit sighed. "Just be good brat and do not make me come out here again."

"See ya later Aqua!"

"No, no later, unless it's for fighting got it." Aquarius said as she lifted the blonde up by her collar.

"Mkay." Lucy said with a smile.

The guild watched amazed as Lucy did nothing but smile at her spirit ordering her around and manhandling her.

* * *

After having everything gone back to normal, the rest of team Natsu waited for the blonde reporter. Despite some being more reluctant than others to stay and be asked questions from someone they didn't know.

"Why am I here?" Lucy asked.

"Because the Weekly Sorcerer has asked to do a segment on Fairy Tail and you are a part of Fairy Tail, thus you will be reported on", Erza said annoyed.

Lucy scratched her head, "I don't wanna."

Erza felt an eye twitch. "I don't care you'll do it."

Lucy looked away. "Don't wanna, Lucifer said freevoless things like interviews are a waste of time. Why do you think I was never seen before joining Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked.

Surprisingly the guild was struck silent by Lucy's words. Half of the guild by her use of such of a big word, despite it being butchered, and the other half for her having such a reasonable reason for not wanting to be interviewed.

"Wasn't that just so you had the element of surprise, Lucy?" Mira asked.

Lucy shook her head. "I was always being asked for interviews and photoshoots while traveling, but unless it was for sleeping and eating, I hardly took breaks from fighting. I only cared about being strong, talking about myself is a waste of time when I could be helping people."

No one could argue with Lucy's reasoning, not even Erza could find a good enough reason as to why Lucy should let Jason interview her.

"Oh, uh look there he is." Levy pointed out, cutting the tension in the guild.

A man with blond hair arranged in a single spike pointing straight up rushed into the guild. "COOL! COOL! Fairy Tail is so COOL!"

"I'm gonna go take a nap then." Lucy said, not at all interested in what was happening.

"At least consider being interviewed by Jason, he's nice once you get to know him Lucy." Mira asked.

Lucy glanced at the blonde who was in the middle of interviewing Juvia and Gray together. "He looks weak, Luce and I don't care for weak people…. but I guess that's why he's a reporter", Lucy commented, earning a smack on her head by Mira.

"If that's the case then why were you helping all those people in the west?"

"Tch, they weren't weak, they were vul-ner-a-ble." Lucy sounded out, looking to Levy who looked on proudly at her student. "The people I fought and lost were weak."

Mira's mouth opened and closed unable to argue back at what was surprisingly a sound argument. "I…have nothing to say to that."

"Cause it's true." Lucy said with a devilish smile.

"Lucy, just stay far away until it's your turn to interview, please", Mira sighed.

"I never said yes!"

* * *

"I see you came Jason." Erza walked up to the enthusiastic man, ignoring the two arguing mages.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me interview you! Is it alright if I ask a few questions?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Awesome! How many armors do you requip?"

"Over a hundred."

"COOL! Which one do you like the most?"

"There are numerous ones, but I think my favorite would be the bunny suit."

The man's eyes widened. "The-

"-Bunny suit?" Lucy choked out, trying her best to get her breathing back to normal after choking on her drink Mira bribed her with. Plue appeared out of nowhere and began patting her on the back to get her to breathe again.

Erza nodded not realizing the mistake she had made, "The ears are cute."

Then to show what she meant she requipped into said outfit, regretting it instantly when she saw the look of lust on a certain blondes usually goofy looking face.

"My mate looks delicious" Lucy chuckles, before feeling a slight pain on her head. "Ow, what the heck Aquarius?"

"Stop it perv!" Aquarius yelled still smacking the slayers head with a wadded up, ironically, weekly sorcerers' magazine. "What did I say about making me come out here, if not for battle?! Huh? Go back to your corner and stay there!"

"Ow, ow okay! Juts please Aqua stop, ow! Bosco was funner" the blonde mage grumbles.

"COOL! Favorite food?" Jason yelled, ignoring the weird interaction between mage and celestial spirit.

"Strawberry Cheesecake, I guess..."

"Virgo, we can make that right?"

"Yes, we can, and we have." The maid, who had appeared to keep an eye on her master on Aquarius's orders, said. Aquarius would've shown up herself, but she wasn't sure she would've been able to hold back and not drown the entire guild if she came out to stop the brat from doing something inappropriate again.

The man spotted Happy and ran over to him. "Happy! Why is your fur blue?"

"Cause I'm a cat." Happy wasn't sure if that was entirely true, but it was the best answer he could supply the weird reporter.

"Whoa, I thought it was because he was like a magical being, but that makes more sense!" Lucy commented.

"Lucy, you're so stupid" Erza chuckled.

Lucy paused in thought. Then with a devilish grin, shot finger guns at Erza saying, "Stupid for you."

"Ack." Erza choked on her smoothie, surprised at the smooth line. "Damn dumb demon."

"Excellent execution." Gray said.

"Tch…I could do better." Gajeel grumbled, while writing down Lucy's words.

* * *

Jason looked around the guild and his eyes widened at the mage he had just spotted. "The Salamander!"

"Who is it?" Natsu roared, throwing a table. "Which guy is the reporter?"

"Mason." Lucy pointed out, from her corner of the guild where she was coloring. Mira, no longer wanting Lucy to cause any more trouble, gave the girl paper and some crayons to draw with. Virgo offering ideas of what to draw every now and then to help keep her occupied.

"Natsu Dragneel!" Jason crowed, sprinting over. "The famous Salamander, I've been hoping to meet you!"

"You bastard!" Natsu got in his face. "You're always trashing my reputation! All you do is talk crap about me and the stuff I "destroy".

"COOL! _COOL!_ COOOOOOOOOL!"

"You have style, man!" Jason declared proudly. "Can I shake your hand?"

"Get away from me!" Natsu shouted, smashing Jason in the face and sending him spinning.

"COOL!" Jason cheered, tumbling along the floor. "This is the first time I experienced such a handshake... I have to write this down!"

"Whoa that's a handshake…hey Gray come 'ere" Lucy shouted.

"No!" Gray yelled, dodging the blonde's advances. Virgo stepped in and grabbed Lucy by her collar dragging her back to her corner to continue drawing.

"Team Shadow Gear!" Jason found his new target. "Is it true you're in a love triangle?"

"No comment!" Jet and Droy chorused while Levy looked confused.

"Whoa Lil Levy I didn't know you were like that" Lucy said shocked, pausing in her drawing to look at her book worm friend in a new light. "Can you believe that Virgo?"

"Not at all princess. It's quite surprising." The maid said in her usual monotone voice.

"I AM NOT LIKE THAT LU-CHAN!" Levy cried, smacking the blonde insulted. Unfortunately, she was doing more harm to herself than to Lucy. "How the heck does Erza not injure her hand!" Levy cried holding her hand.

"OH MY GOSH IT'S THE ISHGAR DEMON!" Jason turned around facing the blonde who had gone back to drawing unaware of the reporter waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

"Ishgar Demon, can I ask you some questions?!"

"No."

The entire guild stopped what they were doing, shocked to hear Lucy's reply. They would've thought she would've at least reconsidered. Jason on the other hand still had that excited face, but if you really looked, you could tell even he felt a little uncomfortable.

"Oh, uh not even one?"

Lucy looked to the blond reporter, then answered. "No."

"Excuse me for a moment Jason." Erza said, while dragging Lucy away.

Jason nodded to Erza, feeling a little awkward. He's never had a mage tell him no to being interviewed. It was a weird feeling.

A few minutes later saw both mages returning to the reporter with slightly flushed faces. While Lucy held glossy eyes and a dopey grin, Erza refused to meet anyone's eyes, her face matching the color of her hair.

"Lucy says she will answer your questions." Erza said blushing.

"Hmm yeah, whatever you want." Lucy said dazed.

"Cool, cool! Is it true this is your first interview ever?!"

"Hmm yeah, don't like talking to people." Lucy said still dazed from her encounter a few minutes prior.

"Cool! What an honor. So, how's it feels being one of the four gods of Ishgar?" Jason asked.

"I'm not a god, I'm a demon. Heh, stupid." Lucy finally sobering up, turned to her spirit to make fun of the reporter for being dumb and not being able to tell the difference. However, Virgo shook her head at her master and began to explain what the reporter meant.

"He doesn't mean an actual god princess. He is talking about the top four wizards' saint's princess. Considered the strongest of all Wizards. Had you attended the last meeting for wizard saints instead of Gemi-Lucy you would have known that you are now in their ranks as the third wizard Saint." Virgo relayed.

"But all they do is talk about boring stuff Virgo. You know I don't like being cooped up in a place full of strong wizards unless we're gonna fight" Lucy countered, shrugging at the guilds bewildered faces. Virgo nodded her head at her princess's lazy attitude.

"Yes, princess we all know that. Loke said to remind you that is one of the reasons why the Sultan of Desierto banned you from setting foot in his country."

"Nuhu, the Saltman said if I slept with his heirs, I could go back!" Lucy boasted, with a goofy grin on her face. "Not a bad deal, right Virgo?"

Virgo couldn't help but slap her face. Again, she recited back what Loke told her. "No princess, he said if you _selected_ one of them to marry then you could come back."

"Oh, man that is awkward." Lucy chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. "I slept with all three of his daughters and two of his sons…. well guess I'm never going back there. So s'all good." She turned to them all with a goofy grin and thumbs up.

Erza on the other hand was being held back from punching the day lights out of the dense girl who forgot to mention such an important detail. _And after what we just did!_

"Chill out Erza, look on the bright side she never married any of them, right?!" Cana grunted.

"Seriously Erza!" Gray yelled, as he began helping Cana and Mira hold Erza back from pummeling Lucy who still hadn't notice the angry red head.

"Yes, but it seems Love Rival slept with about five people while in the country Desierto, putting her lovers before Erza, up to- "

"Shut up Juvia!" Gray, Cana and Mira yelled.

Jason realizing, he had been forgotten about cleared his throat in hopes of gathering the attention of the wizard saint again.

This did in fact draw the attention of Lucy who had finally taken notice of the blonde still standing there before her. She looked at him weirdly before asking him why he was still standing there.

An awkward silence ran through the guild until Jason hurried to move past it. "I wasn't done with my questions."

"Really, man Lucifer was right, interviews take up a lot of time."

"Sorry, but I promise these are my last cool questions! Is it true you have dual magic? Why did you choose to come to Fiore? What did you do for fun in Alakitasia!"

"I don't know about dueling with it, but I spar with Natsu a lot, he's my best friend. And I was done with my quest in Alakitasia, so I came here to relax after my spirit told me about Fairy Tail." Lucy explained.

"And for my final question?" he asked anxiously.

"Uh, what did I do for fun there? Well I think the only times I took breaks was during mating season, which I guess in a way was fun because of I got to…sleep." ever so slowly Lucy stopped what she was saying to get up and begin walking away from the reporter.

"I just remembered Mason that I need to go pick up Plue from the hair cleaner." Before any one could say anything about Lucy's flimsy excuse for exiting her interview Lucy bolted out the guild, Erza hot on her heels, sword unsheathed and all.

Jason could only watch intrigued, the fact the second strongest mage in Fairy Tail was able to strike such fear in the Ishgar Demon, one of the 4 gods of Ishgar was SO COOL! The blonde's maid spirit simply shrugged before disappearing.

"Uh…will she be alright?" he asked.

"Pretty sure?" Gray answered. The rest of the guilds mumbling answers which did not reassure the reporter at all.

"COOL!"

* * *

"Where we going mate?" Lucy asked, as she allowed her mate to drag her by her cloak. Despite getting a head start from her mate, the scarlet mage was able to somehow catch up to Lucy, sucker punching the blonde and dragging her by her cloak around town.

"You're going to buy me a strawberry cake from the bakery shop down the street, then take me out to dinner."

"Why?"

"Because you are an idiot." Erza deadpans.

"Oh, okay then." Lucy says happily. While she knew she could get out of the position she was currently in, she felt too lazy to walk and allowed herself to continue to be dragged.

"Hey afterwards do you wanna go back to doing-

"That was a one-time thing!"

Lucy snickered, "So you say."

* * *

" _I was wrong Layla, they're perfect for each other." Aquarius sweat dropped._

* * *

A few days after, a stranger in a tattered cloak stumbled across a discarded Weekly Sorcerer magazine. Picking it up and noticing Lucy's photo with her guild, the hooded man began to cry softly. "Lucy..." Lucy was in the middle of a walk to Fairy Hills to visit her mate when a familiar scent hit her nose. Not turning around the teen addresses the man.

"So troublesome." The blonde grumbled. "And just why in the hell are you following me Jude?"

Surprised at being caught already, the man had no choice but to come out of the shadows and address his daughter.

"Heartfilia Railways has been bought out..." Jude choked out. "I've lost my company, my home, my money... all of it. I used everything I had as collateral, you see. Running a business... really can turn a man into an utter fool."

Deciding to finally look the man in the face she turns around to address him correctly only to raise an eyebrow at his attire. "Why do you look like a raggedy old man?"

"I was betrayed by a lot of people."

Lucy scowled. "Tch. And mama's grave?"

"I had it moved here." Jude handed Lucy a slip of paper with an address. "It's kinda sad, but I feel like laughing... all my fortune, gone just like that. Everything I had achieved in those long years was lost in a single night. The money I worked so hard to earn that I threw away my family in the process! Bahahaha!"

"Well whadda ya want from me?" she asked confused.

Jude gave a sad smile. "I just wanted to see your face, Lucy."

"Hmm, nah that's not it." Lucy yawned tired of the man's lying. "What is it you really need?"

Jude stared at her in shock for a moment, before clearing his throat to answer her. "Well I suppose I might as well come out and say it then. I need money for my travels. Just a little until I make it to my destination."

Lucy scoffed, she was able to travel for years with the bare minimum, hardly any money with her, yet this man came to her with such a pitiful request. Lucy merely sighed at the man's plea.

"Whatever, I wanna try and sneak into my mates' room before it gets dark, so I'll have Virgo retrieve money for you."

Jude sweat dropped at his daughters' words.

"Well, this is a surprise." Jude observed. "I thought you'd tell me to leave and travel with what I have."

"Well, I was gonna, but then I thought about mama and what she woulda done and I didn't feel like making the one parent I did love sad." Lucy shot back.

"Oh...that makes sense." Jude looked away, trying to rid himself of the sting of the verbal jab.

Jude looked back to his only daughter and tried making small talk again. "So, I saw on a magazine you're a third wizard saint, that seems like a very high honor. Congratulations."

"Oh. Thanks. I'm still not really sure what Wizard Saints do, but everyone says it's a really important position." Lucy glanced at him.

He smiled at his daughter's denseness, which surprisingly incited a smile from her.

"So, what are you planning to do now?"

"I was thinking of joining a trade guild in Acalypha." Jude mused. "It's where I used to work before starting the Konzern…alongside your mother. Love and Lucky it was called."

"Really? I didn't know that."

Jude nodded, "Yes, your mother and I were both members there before we left to start our own business. That's how you got your name, the K was missing, and your mother thought Lucy was a beautiful name for you."

"Ha, you and mama named me after seeing a broken sign? Mama was the best!" Lucy said, laughing.

"Hmm, well in hindsight it may have been a bit hasty, but you must admit Lucy suits you well." He chuckled, enjoying seeing his daughter so carefree.

"Yeah, it does." Lucy couldn't help but smile at her father. "Me and Luce had matching nicknames thanks to you and mama!"

Jude remembering who Luce was smiled at his daughter, happy she had such a good guardian while she was away from him.

"Well, at least you have a plan. Here's that money you needed" Lucy said pointing to her pink maid spirit who had just returned with a bag of jewels.

"Whe-where did she go for the money, Lucy?"

"Oh well, Lucifer told me banks aren't safe, so to keep all my money close to me. That's why I have all my money with my spirits in the spirit world" Lucy said. "My money can't be stolen if it's in an entirely different world now can it?" she grinned.

"Isn't that the truth." Jude chuckled.

"Yup, now here's 200000 jewels to travel to where ya need to go. That should be more than enough."

Jude looked away sadly. "Yes. More than enough. Thank you, Lucy, I truly am grateful for this."

"Hmm. Just don't expect me to do this again" she said, shooting a peace sign as she walked off.

"Lucy…I promise the next time we see each other I'll be a better father" Jude whispered.

Lucy smiled at the words whispered from her father.

" _I'll keep you to that…father."_.

* * *

 **The next Morning**

"GET OFF ME!" Erza yelled, after waking up feeling like she was on fire.

"BUT I WANNA CUDDLE!" Lucy whined.

"YOU'RE LIKE A DAMN INFERNO, WHO THE HELL WOULD WANNA CUDDLE WITH YOU?!"

"PLENTY OF PEOPLE!"

These seemed to be the wrong words to say as the next second Erza was advancing upon Lucy like a predator who had just found their prey.

"Lucy?" With her bangs covering both eyes Lucy was unable to decipher the look she was now seeing as Erza crawled atop her. It was frightening but also arousing. _If this is how I die, then I'm okay with that!_

" _I'm so sorry Layla, Lucifer corrupted the brat._ " Aquarius sighed.

Lowering her mouth to Lucy's ear the knight mage whispered in a sickly-sweet voice that sent a shiver down the demon slayers spine, "Don't brag about other people sleeping with you to me."

Once Lucy felt the warm breath of her mates on her ear, she was a goner. Frozen in place with her eyes closed Lucy could no longer notice anything else but her mate.

Erza deciding she tortured the dumb demon enough, went to get off when she was pulled back down to the bed into Lucy's strong arms. "Oomph."

In a flash Erza was on her back with Lucy looking down at her mates surprised face with lustful eyes. From where Erza lay she couldn't help but notice how sharp Lucy's canines were and how close they were getting to her.

"Did you really think I would let you go after teasing me like that, _mate_?" Lucy growled, scraping her teeth along Erza's neck, eventually evolving into small nips. Slowly she began putting more pressure in her bites for her mate to feel pleasure, but not mark her, yet. If there was one thing Lucifer beat into Lucy it was that consent was important when marking your mate.

Erza tried speaking up to at least object to Lucy's claim, but all she could think about was how nice this felt.

With no objections, Lucy continued leaving small bites all over Erza's clear soft skin. The slight gasps from Erza only spurred Lucy on as she journeyed down Erza's sensitive skin with light nips.

"I was not tea-teasing." Erza breathed out, finally able to gather some coherent thoughts.

Lucy stopped what she was doing to look at her lover confused. "Huh? You weren't doing what Loke told me is called fore players?"

"No, you idiot." Erza breathily sighed. "And it's called foreplay."

"Oh, that's awkward." Lucy said chuckling. "…Ya wanna keep going?"

Erza rolled her eyes, deciding it was better to ignore her idiot demon's words, it was her fault after all for giving mix signals. "It's too early in the morning for this, I'm going back to bed."

"I'll join you!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Fine, just stay on your si- get your hand off my boob dumb demon."

"Right, right, sorry."

"It's still there."

"I thought that was a pillow." Lucy snickered.

"I swear to mavis." Erza groaned pushing the dense blonde off her bed. "You get the floor."

* * *

After Lucy had gone on ahead to change at her apartment, Erza continued her trek to the guild at a leisurely pace thinking about Lucy and the question she was constantly asked.

" _Am I really thinking of accepting?"_ Before Erza could answer herself, she felt a shiver go down her spine, indicating something bad was going to happen.

"It has to do with the dumb demon, I just know it." She said shaking her head, entering the guild.

The guild was busy as usual, no one really paying any attention to Erza until their resident Dragon slayer opened his mouth.

"Whoa Erza! Did you and Lucy mate? You reek of her scent."

In that moment, Erza was hoping a huge catastrophe would occur creating a way out of her having to answer this. Unfortunately, nothing like that happened and she was forced to deal with the entire guild that was frozen in place, silenced by Natsu's words.

"Erza?" Mira asked blushing.

"No damn it, we did not mate, she just snuck into my bed again!" Erza yelled embarrassed.

The guild nodded their head understandingly. "Oh, makes sen-"

"That doesn't explain the love bites on your neck." Cana pointed out.

Erza froze in place, now this she did not plan for. Before she left her apartment, she had not noticed the marks, unable to really look at herself in the mirror in part because she was too busy trying to stop Lucy from groping her as she changed. _"Damn demon."_

"Oh, that's from when Erza teased me in the morning and made me think we were gonna have sex but then she told me we weren't, so I stopped but she still let me sleep in her bed…she even let me touch her boob." Lucy said casually at the table she just appeared at, by Gray and Natsu.

"That is a lie and you know it! You kept putting your hand on my breast claiming you were just trying to find a pillow!" Erza seethed.

"Yeah, your boobs are as soft as pillows, so I wasn't lying" Lucy chuckled fist bumping Natsu.

"Nice one Lucy!" Gray congratulated. The ice mage tossed an arm over the blonde leading her to the bar for a drink, all the while listening to her talk about how close she is to mating Erza. Natsu joining them.

"Oh, my Erza, you and Lucy seem to be making some progress in your relationship I see. You're even changing in front of each other." Mira giggled.

"Please, if you see her breaking into my apartment and spooning me when I'm asleep as progress then yes we're practically married Mira." Erza deadpanned.

Lucy, thanks to her exceptional hearing, overheard her mate speaking to Mira and was overjoyed her advances were working on Erza and couldn't wait to tell Natsu and even Gray now. Although she wasn't all that familiar with being married, she figured if Erza was mentioning it then it was worth looking into. The only couple she could remember were her parents, and even then, she wasn't sure what you did married.

* * *

"Okay whose job is it today to explain to Lucy that Erza is being sarcastic?" Loke said in front of Lucy's zodiacs.

In what looked like a conference room was all ten zodiacs and not to be left out silver keys. Surprisingly even the Spirit King made an appearance today. Their topic of conversation, Lucy of course.

"We are! Just last week I explained to Lucy the phrase when pigs fly, so I'm out!" Scorpio said.

Loke took note of that and looked back to his fellow spirits. "Okay, anyone else or are we going to have to draw straws.

"I say we leave it be and see how this plays out for Ebi." Cancer offered with a smile.

"Yeah, kinda wanna see what the brat is gonna do next." Aquarius shrugged.

"I too think it would be fun to see what my human friend does." The Spirit King says chuckling.

Loke rolled his eyes at Lucy's two longest owned spirits. Of course, they would want that, while they cared deeply for her, they also loved to mess around with her. However, hearing that from the big man himself, he couldn't help but facepalm. _Some king you are._

"Well fine, but we still have to explain sarcasm!"

"May I suggest having Levy-Sama add that to her curriculum?" Capricorn said.

Loke paused for a moment before nodding his head. "Yeah, alright."

* * *

"Attention, everyone." Makarov ordered. "At the guild master's meeting an important matter had come up discussing the dark guild Oración Seis. It seems they're up to something. We decided that this development cannot be ignored, and that someone has to deal with them."

Gray groaned from his spot at the bar. "Please tell me we didn't get stuck with that job?"

The old master looked to the ice mage with a serious look in his eye, shaking his head. While even he didn't want to deal with this type of mission, the threat they were dealing with was far too big to ignore and pass onto someone else.

"Normally that would be the case, but because the enemy is too powerful for even us, we at the council have come up with an alternative to combat that."

The entire guild erupted into whispers curious as to what that could be. Some thought that the guild master would be the one to go after the Oración group while others concluded that they would just send Lucy out, but tossed that idea out since their Master said that the group was too strong for everyone here. Little did they know that sending Lucy out to defeat the Oración Seis was the councils plan, they just hid it behind the plan their Master was about to reveal.

The master having heard at least half the theories decided to put a stop to all of them and finally explain what would happen.

"If we alone moved against them, we'd attract the attention of the other members of the Balam Alliance, such as Grimoire Heart, which is exactly what we don't want."

"Then what are we doing Master?" Erza asked, curious as to what other option they could have.

"So as not to raise suspicion on us or anyone else we will be forming an alliance of our own!" Makarov exclaimed. "Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Fairy Tail, and Cait Shelter will be combining forces." he explained, as Reedus drew the guild symbols in the air.

As the entire guild listened intently to the guild master speak everyone grew nervous. Weirdly enough they felt something was off. With no random outbursts erupting around them or explosions occurring they realized that someone very important was missing, and immediately halted the meeting about the Oración Seis in order to find Lucy.

"My children, where in the hell is Lucy, this is an important guild meeting she should not be missing?" Makarov asked worried she had gone and got herself arrested.

"She's over here at the bar, Gramps!" Gray yelled, poking the blonde to see if she was alive, worried at the way she wasn't moving.

"Don't worry she's just asleep!" Natsu said.

"Wh-it's barely ten, why is she already asleep?"

Loke popped out of his key before bowing in apology. "Sorry gramps, she ate a bit too much and got sleepy. You won't be hearing from her until at least tomorrow morning."

The master and the rest of the guild face faulted to the floor. How the hell was it possible that such a strong mage was capable of such a weird feat.

"Loke, are you sure you can't wake her up? This meeting is very important, and Lucy is a key player to it." The master pleaded.

"Don't worry Gramps we got this!" Natsu and Gray yelled.

Loke ignored the two mages who were working tirelessly to wake up Lucy and shrugged. "Don't worry, if the plan includes her just take her along with you guys. Long as fighting is involved, she'll be fine going."

The guild master sighed, realizing it was no use arguing and accepted his terms. Besides it seems it was useless trying to get the blonde to wake up, if Natsu and Gray banging pots and pans near the girl's ears and even mentioning Erza walking around naked were any indication.

"Stop saying that idiots!" Erza yelled.

"In that case, I ask that you stay out so you can hear what we will be doing and relay it to Lucy when she wakes up."

Loke nodded, "Yeah, I can do that."

"Very well. As I already said we are going after the Oración Seis along with three other guilds. Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and Cait Shelter."

If anyone had been paying attention, they would have seen Loke smile at the mention of Cait Shelter and the twitch of movement by Lucy, causing both Gray and Natsu to cheer for almost waking the girl up.

"As for who will be going to meet the other guilds to help with this mission, I have chosen Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza and Lucy to represent Fairy Tail." he explained.

"Well if that's all I'll be off. Take care of Lucy, Erza." Loke said winking.

"What?!"

* * *

"Augh, where-I" Lucy groaned. When Lucy had finally woken up after her nap, she noticed immediately that something was very wrong. And by that she means she felt sick, like she's gonna throw up sick. Lucy turned her head to the left, very slowly, and noticed her partner was in the same boat, or rather train cart, as her.

"Kill…me" Natsu moaned.

"I'll...kill you…kill me?" Lucy offered.

"Man, you two are such embarrassments to Fairy Tail" Gray scoffed.

"Shaddup. I... woke here" Lucy mumbled. "Mate…help..."

Erza sighed, but nevertheless abided to the blondes' request. It was the least she could do since the blonde was essentially forced on this mission. "Come here then."

Lucy fell to the floor of the cart and crawled onto her mates' lap. "Now...what."

"Lay your head down and be quiet." She sighed.

"Got-hmmm" before Lucy could even finish her sentence her eyes closed, and a serene look appeared on her face as she rested her head on her mate's lap. Both Erza and Gray were shocked to see the wizard saint fall asleep so fast.

"Well damn Erza, you really got the magic touch huh" Gray chuckled.

"Shut up."

"What about me?" Natsu moaned, interrupting the twos banter.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Lucy muttered, looking around the large hall.

Erza frowned. "We're using Master Bob's summer house as a base of operations for the mission which you would know had you not fallen asleep. I mean really."

A light suddenly shone from the ceiling. "Ladies and gentlemen of Fairy Tail." A light-clad figure started, flanked by two others. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. We are the delegation from Blue Pegasus, the Trimens!"

"I'm Hundred Night Hibiki." The tall boy in the middle announced.

"I'm Holy Night Eve." The youngest of them added.

"I'm Empty Night Ren." The third one finished.

Lucy wasn't sure what was going on since she was asleep the whole ride here, but she figured if this was how people were introducing themselves then she might as well go along with it.

"I'm Ishgar Demon Lucy." Lucy added tossing her cloak over her shoulder, throwing off the Blue Pegasus's.

"Ehh?!" the three men said looking to the girl.

"That is Salamander Natsu, Ice Maker Gray, and Titania Erza." Lucy said dramatically.

"Oooh, well done, nice introduction Lucy." Natsu said clapping.

"Yeah, I mean I only wish I had a better title but excellent execution." Gray applauded.

"Thanks, I thought yours up on the fly Gray." Lucy boasted. "But don't worry we can work on a better name for you later!"

"Just once I'd like to go someplace where she doesn't embarrass us" Erza whispered.

* * *

As the Trimens got back on track they set their eyes on the beautiful mage in the middle of the room. Unaware of the blonde who was courting her.

Lucy looked on curious as the Trimens swarmed around Erza. While the demon inside her raged, wanting to break free and destroy those three, the rational part of her said she had nothing to worry about. Besides mama wouldn't want her to kill anyone just because her mate was getting a little attention. This was the price to pay for having such a beautiful mate.

"You are every bit as beautiful as the rumors say." Hibiki purred.

"A pleasure to meet you, Titania." Eve spoke.

"Please step this way, princess." Ren said looking away.

Ren turned to Lucy who was nodding her head to their comments. She couldn't help but agree with the triplet's compliments towards Erza. Hence why she knew she had to keep her demon side tamed since this would probably happen often.

Lucy looked to Ren who was staring at her curiously. "Yeah, Erza's pretty hot right. I'm courting her so she'll be my mate, but she keeps rejecting as if I don't know she secretly wants me" she chuckles, throwing an arm around the dark-skinned mage neck.

Instantly, Ren begins to sweat at the heat emitting off the blonde.

"Eh?" The other two looked at the knight mage shocked instantly. Hibiki and Eve shook their head in disbelief at the other girls' words. For a moment they thought they heard the dopey girl admit to courting _the_ Titania.

Lucy winked at the other two boys with a devilish grin that promised pain, "Yeah that's right, so you're allowed to look, but don't touch got it. She's all mine."

"That's right, Erza is Lucy's!" Natsu warned. It was only right he help defend his best friends' mate. Slayer's stick together after all.

"Yeah, she let Lucy touch her boob!" Gray revealed. "They're pretty serious."

"That is not true, she touched it of her own volition!" Erza yelled, a deep blush across her face. "And I am not Lucy's."

"Pfft, you still liked it." Lucy chuckled, to the scarlet haired girl. Erza gained a tick mark on her head at the blondes' words.

"Besides if you're not mine then why haven't you taken off my mating bracelet huh?" she said tossing a wink towards Erza.

"I... will discuss that with you later." Erza blushed, not wanting to get into the fact she hasn't taken off Lucy's dumb mating bracelet.

"My friends." A new voice started, causing Erza to shiver. "I think that is quite enough, yes?"

"To think you would be participating in this..." Erza broke into a sweat as a short man walked down the stairs, completely forgetting about Lucy's words.

"I have longed to see you, my honey!" The man declared. "Worry not, Ichiya is here for you!"

The Trimens bowed before the man coming down the stairs. "Ichiya sir, we apologize we didn't know Miss Erza was yours!"

"Wh- I just told you she was mine?" Lucy said, confused as to how those three could misunderstand her. Lucy looked to Gray and Natsu and asked them if she wasn't clear enough in her intentions with Erza.

"Pretty clear." Gray said.

"Yeah, didn't you hear? Erza is Lucy's!" Natsu warned.

"Yeah, you heard them! Erza's mine!" Lucy shouted.

"Ahh, your perfume is still delectable as always, Erza. It pleases me to be able to work alongside my lovely Erza!" Ichiya declared, ignoring Gray and the other's for sniffing the knight's hair.

"There he goes again!" Happy yells. Gray, Natsu and Happy decided they didn't want to be nearby if something happened, and instead took cover in a faraway corner much to the confusion of the Trimens.

Erza sighed. She wasn't expecting to have to deal with Ichiya during this mission, and just knew if he continued to act the way he did there would be problems between Blue Pegasus and Fairy Tail, or more accurately a goofy blonde demon and Blue Pegasus. However, before she could speak up to note her worries, the exact person she was worried about did before she could stop them.

"Back off weird dude, Erza is mine alright. Only I can smell her and enjoy looking at her hot body, got it?" Lucy growled. immediately pushing the short man off her mates' body.

She wasn't going to do anything at first, but as soon as she saw the weirdo begin to sniff her woman a fire lit in her body that promised pain to the weird looking dude. Perhaps this is what Luce meant when he said she would begin to get tearreetoriul over Erza.

" _Lucy-Sama, I think you mean territorial." Capricorn chuckled._

" _Yeah that!"_ Lucy thoughtbefore going towards Erza.

"Gah- Lucy!" Erza yelled, before being pulled into Lucy's body possessively.

"Oh, and who might you be" Ichiya asks eyeing Lucy, "No matter, your perfume does not interest me."

Erza realizing this was only going to get worst the longer she let this go on decided to end it before the two mages could hurt anyone.

"Please stop, we're not here to fight."

Lucy ignored Erza to stare slack jawed at the shorter man. Once she regained her bearings, she pushed Erza behind her and stared down the man. "Hey man I smell plenty good! I just got a shower like, let's see if Natsu came over that day and we sparred that day then, three nights ago!"

"I think I'm gonna throw up" Hibiki gagged.

"Is she really courting Miss Erza?" Eve asked Gray.

"Yup", the ice mage nodded amused at this turn of events.

"And she's accepting her advances?" Ren asked.

"Totally, Erza's got the hots for Luce!" Natsu yelled shooting a thumbs up at his best friend. While Natsu was also a little unsure at times about Erza and Lucy's courting process, he fully believed that his friend would prevail in the end and score Erza. What kind of partner would he be if he didn't?

"Lushie's gonna win Erza over!" Happy said happily.

* * *

Leon was expecting many things from the event he was enlisted into. However, the sight before him as he entered the mansion was not one of them.

"Of course," He watched in morbid fascination as Lucy tried to attack Ichiya who continued to call Erza his wife, clearly angering the taller girl. It seemed the only reason Lucy was failing to reach her goal was due to her entire team holding her back. Finally, able to tear his eyes away from that debacle, he decided to announce himself to those here, only to see the rest of the party hiding behind a love couch in the middle of the room.

"Well it seems the three stooges have banded together again…as well as Erza Scarlet. You must be the ones chosen as delegates from Fairy Tail." He looked them over."

Gray looked to where he heard the familiar voice and froze in shock. "Wait a sec. Leon! You joined Lamia Scale?"

"Indeed." Leon said with a smirk. "They are a much better guild than Fairy Tail if you ask me."

"Now that's a lie!"

"Oh hey! Natsu, Happy look, it's Lemon!" Lucy waved.

"Sup Lemon!" Natsu yelled.

"Hmm lemon would go well with my fish." Happy said as drool came down his face.

"Dear god." Leon mumbled. "And she's a wizard saint."

"I, Sherry, have been reborn for the sake of love!" Sherry proclaimed, waving her hands vigorously at Lucy.

"Yeah that's cool Cherry, but you're blocking me from killing that little monster who keeps tryna touch my girl." Lucy said, looking to where Ichiya was trying to hug Erza.

"Not your- oh whatever" Erza sighed.

A tall man with an orb-tipped staff sweat dropped when he walked in and saw Leon arguing with Gray, Sherry yelling at Lucy who was trying to get to Ichiya who was still advancing towards Erza, who was waving a sword to keep Ichiya away from her. Natsu all the meanwhile was challenging the Trimens to a fight.

"Enough!" He roared, silencing everyone. "We are here to form an alliance and defeat Oración Seis! This is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves!"

"Jura..."

"Laura?" Lucy frowned. "Who the heck is that? And why does she think she can tell me what to do?"

"Lucy…it's Jura, not Laura. And he's one of the ten wizard saints also in a guild." Erza explained embarrassed.

"Indeed, Miss Lucy." Jura inclined his head. "I apologize for my rudeness. It's truly an honor to meet a mage of your caliber. I've heard stories of your travels. For someone your age to be able to defeat some of the strongest dark guilds in Alvarez is truly amazing."

"Hmm, it was pretty tough, so I can't take all the credit since my friends helped me out when things got especially crazy." she chuckled, patting her glowing keys.

Jura on the other hand, stared at the girl curiously, for someone so powerful she didn't flaunt it at all. In fact, she seemed quite humble about her accomplishments. Most mages of her caliber would flaunt their power, but the one in front of him didn't even seem to acknowledge how strong she is.

"Well then, now that three of the guilds are now assembled. All that remains is the delegation from Cait Shelter." Jura explained.

"I heard they were only sending one person." Ichiya told everyone.

"A single mage?" Natsu was shocked. "How crazy powerful is that person?"

"No way, Cait Shelter is coming?!" Lucy shouted happily, remembering that was the guild her little Wendy was from.

"Yes Lucy, did Loke not debrief you at all of the mission?" Erza asked.

"He might've, I don't know." Lucy shrugged.

"Man, you're one of a kind Lucy" Gray chuckled.

Lucy shrugged. "Well, yeah I'm Lucy. Anyway, now that I know the last guild, I promise you the person coming is strong. Oh, and adorable."

The entire room sweat dropped at the girl's words. _That's so vague!_

* * *

A moment later a small girl ran into the room and promptly tripped over the flat carpet, attracting everyone's attention. "Owwie..."

"She's supposed to be powerful?!" Natsu, Gray and Erza yelled. Lucy was too busy practicing how she would greet Wendy, to notice the topic of discussion had arrived.

"Um..." She stammered, standing up. "I-I'm sorry I'm late... I'm from Cait Shelter. My name is Wendy." She bowed shyly. "It's a pleasure to work with you all."

"A child?"

"A girl?"

"Wendy..." Natsu frowned.

"Oh, and this is my cat Charle!" Wendy said with a bright smile.

"Hmm, good day."

* * *

"Plue, when Wendy gets here, I have to look cool. Not that I don't already, but like cooler than normal okay." Lucy instructed, unaware that the person in topic had already arrived.

"Pun Puuun!"

* * *

"Ok, all the guilds have assembled." Jura observed calmly.

Sherry scowled. "An offensive operation like this and they send a single kid and a cat in a dress? What is Cait Shelter playing at?"

"Excuse me, but I'll have you know we are more than capable of representing Cait Shelter." Charle huffed.

Wendy clenched her fists nodding, " I know I don't look like much, but I've trained a lot. I've worked hard on my offense magic so you don't need to worry about me not carrying my own weight", Wendy stuttered. "Oh and my support magic is really strong and will be useful to everyone... so please don't leave me out completely!" She gritted, looking down.

* * *

Lucy and Plue had finally decided on what pose they were going to do when a familiar scent popped up. At once Lucy turned around with a giant grin on her face at the sight of the girl she's missed dearly since parting with her all those years ago.

"Honestly..." Charle sighed in exasperation. "It's that timid attitude of yours that makes people disregard you! Don't you remember what that dense fool said all those years ago about never doubting your strength" Charle scoffed.

"Hey dumb cat, I'm not a dense fool!"

To say Wendy and Charle were surprised to hear that goofy voice from all those years ago was an understatement. As soon as Wendy saw the girl, she considered her big sister, scar beneath her eye and all, tears began to run down her eyes, knees close to giving way as she got to see the person who helped her get stronger.

"My apologies." Erza smiled. "We were a little surprised, but I'm sure no one meant any insult. We look forward to working with you. Wendy?" Erza said, slightly confused at the sight of the little girl rushing past her towards her dopey blonde. It seemed her apology went unnoticed as the Cait Shelter mage headed straight for the cloak wearer tackling her to the ground.

 _My goofy blonde!_ Erza mentally cried _. Since when has she been my goofy blonde!?_

"LUUUUCY!" Wendy cried. "It's really you. Look Charle!"

"Indeed, it is. She seems more rugged then the last time we saw her." Charle said as she noticed the numerous scars all over the older girl. However, she had the same cloak on which seemed to somehow be fluttering in the building. Looking down, Charle saw the source was a small white snowman holding a fan to give her cloak flight.

"The fool would do something like this." Charle chuckled.

"I missed you so much Lucy!" Wendy smiled. "I knew you'd keep your promise to me!" Then with strength even Lucy didn't expect the smaller girl to have, she picked her up off the ground hugging Lucy as tight as she could.

"Pfft, course I would, like I'd ever forget about my adorable lil' dragon Windy." Lucy said goofily. "Man, you sure have gotten strong." Lucy acknowledged as she kicked her feet back and forth off the ground.

"Windy? I thought her name was Wendy?" Gray asked, finding it amusing that such a small girl could tackle Lucy who didn't even budge at a barrel thrown at her.

"It is, but the fool thinks Wendy is named after her magic." Charle sighed. "And Wendy has actually grown fond of being called Windy. She thinks of it as a special nickname from her."

"Yes, that seems to happen a lot for Lucy" Erza smiled.

* * *

Natsu watched as Lucy showed Wendy her newly acquired keys and what each one did. The smile on the smaller girls face continued to widen as she showed another gold one. "Wendy... I feel like I've heard this name somewhere before..."

"Wait, how does Lucy know Wendy?" Natsu asked.

"When Luce first left me, my original plan was to go to the Alvarez Empire, but I had no idea where to go. I was still blind in my left eye and my sense of direction was crap. Which is why I was super lucky to run into my lil' dragon while searching for a cave because she took me in and even fixed up my eye!"

Wendy blushed at Lucy's praise. "Lucy stayed at my guild for a few months and even trained me after I asked her for help to make me stronger. It really hurt, but I don't regret it, because I'm much stronger because of Lucy. She even promised me we would meet again when she was done with her quest and we did!" Wendy said smiling.

Those listening couldn't help but smile at the smaller girls' words. Meanwhile Lucy was curled up in a ball hugging Plue, doing her best not to cry. "Wendy's too kind!"

"Pun, Puuun!"

"Hey, you said Lucy thinks Wendy is named after her magic, just what is her magic?" Natsu asked. There was a distinct smell coming from the girl that intrigued him.

"Oh, I have sky dragon slayer magic.' Wendy said.

"Cool! Another slayer like me and Luce." Natsu cheered. "Wait, so does that mean your dragon disappeared on the year x777 too?!"

"Yeah, Grandeeney left me one morning but I still don't know why. Who was your dragon?!' Wendy asked.

Natsu nodded his head, "Mine was Igneel, the fire dragon King. I've been searching for him since he disappeared!"

"Lucy promised to search for Grandeeny while she searched for Lucifer during her travels." Wendy said smiling. "Which reminds me, Uh..Lucy, you wouldn't have happened to find anything did you?" Wendy mumbled.

Lucy rubbed the back of her neck, nervously. "Sorry Windy but no one had ever heard of your dragon. Oh, but I did run into this dude who didn't like dragons and was super mean! Once he found out I was searching for Grandeeney he began attacking me! Now that was one fun fight. That's how I got this scar on my back see!"

Everyone quickly looked away in horror at the three slash marks on the blondes back. How one could be so nonchalant at such a wound was beyond them. It looked like an extremely painful scar to have.

"Lucy! What kind of monster did that?!" Erza yelled. "No better question how the hell did we never notice that?"

"No monster, but man. But then again, he might've also been a slayer. It was a crazy fight. And to be honest I'm not sure, it's always been on my back."

Everyone stayed quiet after that. This girl truly was a demon.

* * *

"Ok…so now what?" Lucy asked, tossing an arm around the smaller girls' shoulders. The smaller girl trying and failing to hold back her laughter at the older girl being so protective of her.

From what we've encountered there are six members. Each one with different magic." Hibiki explained.

"Well yeah…their called Oración Seis for a reason. Seis, six. Number of members is six" Lucy deadpanned.

Hibiki and the others looked at the blonde in surprise that she knew that, and they didn't. For some reason they felt like a failure after hearing that.

"Err yes, well we don't really know much about their powers except for the girl who has celestial powers like Lucy and the other who happens to have dragon slayer powers". Hibiki says downtrodden.

Lucy looked at the man dressed in a suit curiously before she opened her mouth. She never wanted to be here which means the faster she gets this mission done with the faster she can take a nap.

"It's artificial."

The group looked at Lucy confused. "What?" Erza asked.

Lucy rubbed the back of her head, she really wanted to go home. "The dragon slayer dude, his is artificial 2nd gen. Another has speed so he's not really that strong. Then there's the guy who has earth magic. And a guy named daylight, sorry thanks Gemini, Midnight, who's probably the trickiest guy. His magic can reflect magic or something like that. But the main dude is the strongest of them all. Not as strong as me of course, but yeah."

The entire group stared at the blonde who was currently playing patty cake with the little girl from Cait Shelter after mindlessly revealing the magics of the rest of those in the Oración Seis. Shock written all over their face.

"Lucy. How do you know all this if you only fought the girl member of Oración Seis?" Gray asked.

Lucy paused her game with Wendy, huffing. "Gemini was the chick's old key. I just asked them about the members, and they told me all I needed to know about them."

"Wow Lucy, you're so cool!" Wendy said.

"Aww, thanks Windy." Lucy said.

* * *

"Well now that we have an idea of what we're going up against, what's the game plan?" Leon asked Lucy.

Despite her denseness it seemed all four guilds were relying on Lucy for a battle strategy against the Oración Seis. Being hailed as one of the deadliest wizards across the west and in the top three of Wizard Saints, the group of wizards figured she had to have some sort of strategy to go along with her magical prowess.

However, it seemed Lucy was too busy telling Wendy stories about her travels for her to really notice everyone waiting for her to speak. It took getting smacked by Erza for them to have finally gotten Lucy's attention.

"The heck guys?! Didn't you see me speaking with Windy?!" Lucy growled.

"Yes, and while we're sorry to cut your conversation short, we need to know if you have any idea as to how we should combat the Oración Seis?" Jura asked.

"Why are you asking me?" Lucy asked dumbly.

"Lucy, you've literally fought dozens of dark guilds by yourself and won. You have to have had some sort of strategy going in, right?" Gray asked.

Lucy tapped her chin in thought, looking back to her ventures. Her face brightened at a past memory with her father. "Well I once had a lesson with Lucifer where he taught me how to overcome opponents who were stronger than me."

The group looked at Lucy waiting for more information, when none was forthcoming, they had Erza coax the girl for more information.

"And that was?" Erza asked, already so tired of this mission. They haven't even fought anyone and already Erza wanted to sleep, what was Lucy doing to her?

"Oh, just act stronger than you really are. Intimidating your opponent goes a long way you know." Lucy said sagely.

The mages face faulted to the ground in disbelief. This was the girl who defeated one of the strongest dark guilds in Alvarez. How she ever survived alone is beyond their comprehension.

"Uh, let's see he also said to make sure you always have a backup plan in case your first plan fails horribly because that will happen." Lucy nodded. "There was also one other thing he said to do but I can't remember what it was exactly."

" _Always hope for the best Lucy-Sama" Capricorn said._

"Oh yeah thanks Cap. Always hope for the best!" Lucy shouted happily.

Lucy's teammates as well as the rest of the occupants sweat dropped at her words. The only one not surprised by her words was Wendy who couldn't help giggling at her role models words.

"We're going to die." Sherry groaned.

"Of fun!" Lucy yelled.

* * *

"Is that really how you beat all those guilds, by pretending you were stronger than you actually were?" Hibiki asked.

Lucy stared at Hibiki with a serious look. "I'll be honest in the beginning yeah, that was a key part of it. But as time passed, I got stronger, my magic becoming far more powerful that I no longer had to use those tactics. In fact, that guy I told you I fought with, I think he's the only person I've ever encountered who could truly stand on par with me, and even than I had some trouble."

Everyone looked at the Lucy in shock. Just how strong was this enemy that could stand against Lucy.

Lucy smiled widely, revealing her fangs, "It also helped that I didn't really care whether anyone lived or died when I fought them."

The entire group fell silent for a moment as they Lucy's words sink in. Lucy truly did live up to her name Ishgar Demon.

"Ow." Lucy yelped rubbing her shin that was just kicked.

"Bad Lucy. You scared everyone." Wendy scolded, ignoring everyone's looks of shock and awe at her bold action.

Lucy looked to Wendy apologetically. "Sorry Wendy."

"Well, we've wasted enough time talking. It's time we left in search of the Oración Seis, plan or not" Leon coughed.

"Man, worry not for I will steer the Cristina from above for aerial support!" Ichiya said while posing. Feeling everyone had enjoyed his pose enough he hurried off towards where their ship was to prepare for takeoff, unaware of the oncoming attack about to happen.

Lucy looked to the other ice user from across the room shrugging. "Yeah sure. Not like I'm the one in charge…actually who is in charge?"

Everyone stood around looking at each other before leaving the building awkwardly. Leave it to the person with the IQ of Happy to point out something they should've had figured out way before they even started discussing the mission.

* * *

One by one the guild members from different guilds ran out towards the forest to begin their search for the Oración Seis. Fairy Tail was in front with Natsu and Lucy leading, Wendy by her side of course, while Blue Pegasus trailed behind them and Lamia Scale coming in behind.

Jura was just about to join the band of misfits when vines began to wrap around the wizard saint catching him off guard and choking him. "Ugh..."

He fell to his knees, unable to pull at the vines that bound his arms and legs together. He tried to activate his earth magic before he could pass out, already on the verge of seeing spots. His vision slowly blurred as he saw someone step in front of him.

"Heh." The attacker smirked as the man collapsed, unconscious. "That was easy. Jura of the Ten Saints... what a pathetic title for a pathetic man.

* * *

"I can see it!" Natsu cheered. "The woods!"

"I can see birds!" Lucy said high fiving a confused but still happy Wendy.

"Lucy, please shut up." Erza groaned.

The group looked up as Christina's shadow fell over them. So far everything seemed to be going according to plan since Ichiya was right over them providing them cover from the air. Their excitement soon turned to horror when several areas of the ship exploded, and the entire thing plummeted into the forest.

"What's going on?" Leon scowled, "That wasn't part of the plan."

"What plan, I thought we were winging this?" Lucy whispered to Wendy.

Charle shook her head before explaining what exactly they were supposed to be doing to the dense fool. A determined glint in her eye appearing as she now became the fearsome Ishgar Demon.

 _Oh yeah, air support from perfume guy._

Gray frowned when several silhouettes walked out of the smoke, quickly putting him on edge. Wendy whimpered and clutched Lucy's hand tightly. Lucy aware of the danger in front of them made sure to pull the girl closer towards her, because if there was one person she was not allowing to be hurt, it was her precious Wendy. Her mate would be fine for now without her protection.

"Do-don't worry Lucy...I-I'll protect you." Wendy stuttered.

Lucy stared at Wendy in awe, squeezing her hand back. Wendy was clearly frightened by what was occurring and even though she knew Lucy was far stronger than her she still wanted to try and protect the older girl. It honestly warmed Lucy's rugged heart.

 _Gah, too pure!_

"All right lil dragon, I'll hold you to that." Lucy grinned.

Seven people then stepped out of the dense smoke dramatically. Their dark and ominous illusion however was broken by a lone mage who began a coughing fit because of the smoke.

"Ack, ahh, ack cough!" Lucy bent down low enough for Wendy to pat her back and help her get her breath back. Unaware of the awkward tension set upon the two groups.

"Err…Oración Seis!" Sherry gasped, getting things back on track.

"Hey who's the new guy? You guys recruit because you realize how weak you are or something? Understandable since your lame guild consists of a lame speedster, a wannabe dragon slayer, some lame-o called midnight, and a two-bit celestial mage?" Lucy said after she finished getting over her coughing fit.

Those in the light alliance face faulted onto the floor.

"Oh god no, not her again." A feminine voice groaned. "I could barely handle her stupidity once."

"You couldn't even handle me the first time. Why do you think I have your keys? Actually, how are you even here?" Lucy asked.

"Oooh, burn!" Natsu, Gray and Happy heckled.

"I traded in my old magic for a new one." Angel explained, with a bright blush embarrassed.

Despite asking the question, Lucy ignored the girl and went back to making sure Wendy was okay, aggravating the platinum haired girl. "What the hell, you asked me a question then you don't even listen to me when I answer! You're so rude!" Angel growled, stomping her foot in anger.

The Oración member turned to her guild members with a dangerous glint in her eye. It immediately put them all on edge.

"How the hell do you put up with this girl?!"

"Because she's Lucy." Natsu said as if that was the answer to everything. The other Fairy Tail members and Wendy included nodded their head in agreement. Lucy had a sort of charm to her that allowed her to be such an idiot and it not really bother them. Did it get frustrating at times for them, sure, but in the end seeing that goofy grin on her face always made it worth it.

Angel looked at them all baffled before walking back to her group. She didn't think it was worth trying to figure out that weird guild nor the celestial mage who was with them.

"I am Altor and you're all bugs waiting to be squashed." The one beside Angel mused, watching the crowd.

"Hey, don't call Windy a bug, she's a majestic lil' dragon, you bastard!" Lucy yelled. However, it was this momentary lapse in judgement that was needed for Racer the speedster of the Oración Seis to rush by and try to punch Lucy into the ground. However instead of that happening, he instead rushed in punching Lucy's toned stomach, effectively breaking his hand while crashing into the blonde wall.

"Fuuck!" Racer cried, from where he lay on the ground while holding his motionless hand. His guild looking on slightly worried but also curious as to what was going to happen to their member next.

"Did you really think you could get one over on me?" Lucy chuckled darkly at the downed seis member, slowly lifting her leg up she stepped on his other hand effectively breaking it.

"Ahhh, stop! Please." Racer pleaded.

"Why, you weren't going to stop when you tried punching me in the stomach." Lucy said. Lifting her leg up again, Lucy this time aimed for one of Racers legs, even those in the Oración Seis couldn't help but watch in horror at their guild member being tortured.

"Crack!"

"Help! Ahhh, please help, it hurts!"

"Lucy, stop this instant!" Erza commanded.

Lucy turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm. Why mate? These guys are dark mages, they'd do the same in a heartbeat." Lucy reasoned.

"You are scaring Wendy." Erza grounded out, hoping that would be enough to stop Lucy from continuing this torture session.

Lucy turned around in horror at her mate's words. Looking to where Wendy was, she saw that Erza was indeed right, Wendy was currently looking at Lucy with fear in her eyes.

"Wah! I'm sorry Wendy, I didn't mean to scare you, please forgive me! I promise I'll do anything to make it up to you!" Lucy said bowing on the ground to the little girl, ignoring everything and everyone around her.

Wendy looked at Lucy and immediately saw the girl she looked up to. While she was still scared, she couldn't help but laugh at the older girl bowing in front of her and begging for her forgiveness. "Okay, Lucy I forgive you." Wendy giggled.

"Yay!"

"Man, remind me to never piss Lucy off." Gray said, rubbing his hands. The others near him cringed shaking their head in agreement too busy staring at the crying dark mage on the ground. They weren't exactly sure what to do with him now.

Lucy then looked at the downed man and pushed him to the side out of Wendy's eyesight. Ignoring his groaning, she looked back to those standing opposite her. "Uh, well yeah. Who's next, the fake dragon slayer" she chuckled.

"Uh, Brain?" Cobra called.

"Oh, you seem like a troublesome pest." Brain said eyeing the blonde. Just looking at her he could sense the immense power coming from her. And that display of ruthlessness was rather unnerving even for him.

"I guess I'll just rid of you first." He observed, focusing green energy in his staff's skull. "Dark Capriccio!"

Lucy's eye twitches at the dark energy heading towards her. "Uh, what a drag."

Acting quickly Lucy pushed Wendy out of harm's way, taking the brunt of the hit which sent her through the dense woods and smashing through numerous trees.

"Lucy!" Wendy cried.

"Dumb demon!"

"Luce!" Natsu yelled.

"Hmm, it seems the mages they've sent out are nothing worth my time. In that case, go forth Oración and take out these weaklings."

"Try as you might but it's useless to fight us." Cobra bragged.

"Says you!" Erza yelled, rushing towards the dragon slayer. He easily dodged the woman's slash, slamming her down with a downwards kick.

"Too easy, I can hear your every move."

Erza looked on confused at the slayer's words. _Hear my moves?_

Brain smirked, turning gravity against the others crushing them into the ground, "Take care of the rest of them."

Hot-Eye took advantage of the mages position and with a simple hand gesture twisted the ground beneath them.

Within seconds all guild members were falling into the sunken ground, locking in place all Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail.

"Happy, help me out here!" Natsu yelled. Taking a page from Lucy, Natsu utilized his flames to help him out of the ground and had Happy fly him towards Hot Eye.

"Fire Dragons Brilliant Flame!" With Natsu's flames getting a direct hit on the earth user, he was able to right the ground, releasing everyone.

"Well, you may have taken Hot-Eye out, but I can still hear your fear" Cobra grinned. "It makes this fight even more enjoyable."

"I think one of them is sleeping..." Eve muttered, heading towards the crouched man sitting on a floating carpet. Within five seconds of his observation Eve was sent flying into a tree by some force surrounding the sleeping mage knocking him out.

"What the hell?! I'm gonna get you for that!" Natsu shouted, charging forward. He was nearing the sleeping mage when his fist was deflected sending him away from him. Once more Natsu got up taking a deep breath and prepared to attack again.

"Fire Dragon Roar!"

As soon as it looked like the attack would hit, Natsu's fire was deflected again, angering the dragon slayer.

"What the hell?!"

* * *

"Damn, that hurt my tummy." Lucy groaned picking herself up from the crater she landed in.

"Idiot. Why did we even teach you that spell if all you ever wanna do is take hits like that head on!?" Aquarius yelled, shaking the demon slayer by the collar.

"I-tryna-save-magic-sorry-won't-do-gain-stop Aqua-please!" Lucy struggled to answer, trying to hold in the vomit she felt come up from Aquarius tossing her back and forth.

"Oh man, that, that did not help any Aqua." Lucy said gasping for breath.

Aquarius clasped her hands together, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Go help your teammates with that dark guild before I kill you myself brat. Oh, and next time don't be so brutal in front of everyone."

Lucy stood ramrod straight at her spirit's words. She nodded her head in understanding, before immediately running back from where she came from. She really hoped she wasn't too late and thanking all that she had she wasn't when she saw her teammates just about to fight the Oración Seis.

* * *

The Leader of the Oración Seis eyes widened when he finally noticed Wendy slowly getting up from where Lucy pushed her out of the way. He felt like his luck couldn't get any better that evening.

"Eh?"

"What's wrong, Brain?" Angel asked. "Someone you know?"

"It's her" Brain muttered. "The Sky Sorceress..."

* * *

At the same time Lucy was about to show up, the newer member of the Oración Seis was summoning vines to strangle Leon.

"Damn." Leon grunted, trying but failing to escape. The vines surrounding him were too restricting for him to create anything, and he was losing his breath.

 _Ice make Lance!_

Gray fortunately showed up just in time to help his friend out of the vines, both steadying their stances to fight the vine user.

"Looks like someone needs to work on their ice magic if he can't even break out of some shitty vines." Gray scoffed.

"Shut up." Leon said sending ice made eagles at the vine user while Gray sent a torrent of ice arrows. With combined attacks the dark mage was thrown back, protected by his vines he got back in a defensive position to fight once more.

"Knuckle Vine!"

Before Gray or Leon could react, they were assaulted by numerous vines and beaten unconscious. The vine user laughing to himself at how weak these mages were. "Strongest guild, what a joke."

* * *

Natsu meanwhile was still having a hard time get a hit on Midnight. He was practically running on fumes and no matter how hard he tried he never got any hits on the guy.

"Fire brilliant Flame!"

Again his magic detected, this time however Natsu was thrown back far away from Midnight. Exhausted form the one sided fight Natsu turned to see his other guild mates fighting.

* * *

"Dance, my swords!" Erza commanded, sending her Circle Sword attack at Cobra. The man smirked as the flying snake he was on easily weaved past each attack with minimal movement.

Erza scowled and ran in close, requipping into a cheetah type armor which helped her speed, her movements doubling in speed. The man sighed. "I can hear your movements, you know." He observed casually, as his snake crept up behind her to bite her. However just before the giant snake could a flaming figure jumped in place taking the bite, while knocking Erza down harshly, severely burning the snakes' mouth.

"Cubellious!"

"Step off my woman!"

The abrupt crash shocked not only Erza, but Cobra too. His plan was to poison the swordsman who seemed most threatening. Now that plan was ruined because of this blonde weirdo."

"How did you recover so fast?" Cobra asked. "That was one of Brain's strongest spells." Not only was she grinning happily as if she had not just taken a spell that should've killed her head on, but she had also just taken the bite from Cubellious, yet somehow, looked just fine. To add to that he couldn't hear any of her thoughts. _It's like she's not thinking at all._

"Lucifer hit harder than that!" Lucy yelled, sweating slightly. It seemed despite her immunity to most poisons she was still affected by whatever the hell this was.

"Hmm, s'weird." Lucy mumbled.

"Lucy you idiot, are you alright?" Erza yelled, worried about the blonde who just took a bite to the arm by a giant poisonous snake.

"Don't worry my snake's venom won't kill her straight away." Cobra grinned sadistically. "She'll just suffocate in pain."

"Ha, that reminds me of this guy who tried poisoning me with some scorpion venom in my beer and instead I just passed out with a headache."

"Just what the hell are you?" Cobra asked.

"Unlike _you_ , I'm the real deal! I'm a demon slayer, and you tried hurting my girl so I'm gonna take you down."

"Hmm, well as fun as that sounds we got what we wanted so we're outta of here. Hot Eye!"

In a flash the ground again was sinking in taking everyone down with it. Even Lucy was having a hard time staying up top.

"Hey, wait, you wannabe slayer, what the hell did you get?!"

"Lucy!" Wendy cried. Holding her by the neck was Brain, himself. It seemed while everyone was fighting, they had forgotten about Wendy.

Lucy's eyes widened at seeing just where her little dragon was. The air surrounding her was heating up, trees nearby were slowly catching fire and those nearby clothes were melting off them.

"Let her go right now." Lucy growled, the sunken ground slowly hardening due to her heat.

"Do you really think you asking me is going to make me do what you say?" Brain said. It pained Lucy to see the Oración Seis disappear right before her eyes. Not even Loke, who had come out of his gate to help, was fast enough to reach the little dragon slayer before she was taken. The last thing Lucy saw before Wendy vanished were her reaching out with fearful eyes.

Those also stuck in the ground hearts broke at the sound of Lucy's cry of anguish. Recently reunited with someone so important only to be stolen right before your eyes. Natsu couldn't help but clench his fists as he thought about how much this must hurt his friend.

Jura had just appeared as the Oracion Seis disappeared, breaking out everyone from the ground with the help of his magic. He couldn't help but apologize for his lateness. Perhaps if he had made it here earlier, he could have prevented Wendy's capture.

Loke, alongside Aquarius, were both out comforting their master. It hurt them to see her in such a state. Even Aquarius who was usually rougher when it came to Lucy was unusually gentle with the blonde mage.

However, despite how bad Loke felt for his master he still couldn't help but feel annoyed, "Lucy, will you please burn the poison out of your system before you die."

Lucy looked to Loke dazed, before lighting herself on fire. "There. Happy."

"Seriously, I was just tryna keep you from dying!" Loke lectured.

"Sorry." Lucy mumbled.

"It's okay." Loke said hugging the blonde, alongside Aquarius.

* * *

"Where is he?" Lucy said, finally having an idea of what she wanted to do.

"Where's who?" Erza asked.

"Where's that dumb speedster? I'm find out where their hideout is and I'm gonna hurt every one of them."

"Lucy, you are not touching that man, he is already unconscious from your first torture session. I doubt he'll be waking up- where'd she go?" Erza asked.

"Over there." Natsu pointed, cringing at what he was watching.

"Tell-me-where-they are!" Lucy growled, as she repeatedly punched Racer. By now those in the light alliance didn't even want to go near Lucy in her current state. The only ones who it seemed could even get near Lucy were her spirits. And even they weren't trying to stop her from the brutal beat down she was giving the dark mage.

"Shouth, big fuilding." Racer gurgled. Lucy satisfied with his response tossed him to the side and began to walk away, Loke by her side. "Tch, I'll come out when you find the smaller brat, but for now i'm not walking the whole way there." Aquarius explained.

* * *

"So..what do we do now?" Gray asked. "Follow Lucy?"

"Well, Racer did say that they were south, so don't we just go the same way?" Sherry asked.

Erza sighed, she was at a lost. "Well, I suppose so. But if we do then let's break up into groups. If we divide our numbers, we have a better chance of finding out what exactly it is that they're up to."

Jura and the others nodded in agreement. "Yes, that sounds like a good plan. We also will be able to take out members of Oración Seis if they happen to cross our path."

"That's if Lucy hasn't already done it for us." Natsu snorted.

"Don't remind me." Erza groaned.

* * *

"You're gonna be in big trouble when Lucy finds me, you know that right?" Wendy said, trembling from being so far from Lucy.

Brain grinned, "That's only if she finds you in time."

* * *

 **Author's note**

 **What a hiatus am I right. I'm sorry but I've been writing and rewriting this chapter because I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to this to go in. But i'm kinda satisfied with this and I hope you are too. Comment, follow and like so I know how i'm doing and that I should keep going this way or change it up. In the end I hope you enjoy this as much as I do and don't hate it. Remember my Lucy is totally OP from canon Lucy.**


	26. Confrontations and saving lil dragon

**Guess who got a new laptop and is updating just for everyone who has to stay at home quarantined. Now that a lot of people are gonna be stuck at home bc of the COVID-19 I felt it was only right that I hurry and put out a new chapter. So please enjoy, follow, like, comment and look forward to a another chapter soon. Sorry about that everyone had a few editing mistakes so I had to delete my first post**

* * *

Lucy continued her trek towards the direction Racer told her Wendy was most likely being held. Unfortunately, the anger she felt towards the Oración Seis was causing her power to seep out decimating everything in her path.

Loke couldn't help but shake his head at the burnt forestry that was being left behind because of his master's rage.

"Lucy, I'm angry too, but you gotta calm down. Remember what Lucifer told you about always going into battle with a clear head." Loke said. He hoped his words would placate his masters hot head but with how important Wendy was to Lucy he was unsure whether his words would be enough. Loke knew, sadly, that there was no stopping a demon from destroying everything in sight once their kin were stolen from them.

Lucy paused in her steps and sighed. In a surprise show of weakness for the weirdly strong mage, Lucy fell to the ground on her knees, drawing circles in the dirt as she paused to think what to do next. She needed to take this break and clear her fuzzy head. She knew going in flames blazing would only lead to Wendy possibly getting hurt, and Lucy would never EVER forgive herself if the little bluenette got caught in the crossfire.

"Luce…did say that, but Wendy is my lil' dragon and I…I let her get taken." Lucy sighed from where she now lay on the ground looking at the clouds.

"Exactly, so take five and think about what we should do next…okay?" Loke said encouragingly.

"Alright...hey Loke?"

"Hmm."

"Which way is South again?"

"For Luce's sake", Loke groaned, slapping his forehead in disbelief. They had been walking for at least an hour with Lucy leading them to who knows where now.

"Lucy…are you telling me you're not sure if we're walking the right way?" Loke groaned.

"You know I'm not good at directions! I don't know why you wouldn't double check." Lucy huffed.

Loke conceded at the blonde's point. "You know you're right, I should have remembered you getting us lost and somehow taking us to Giltena, THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF ALIKATASIA!" Loke yelled.

Lucy tsked at the lion spirit bringing up that old memory. "Look, are we going south or not?"

"I'm not a compass Lucy. Call Pyxis out and see."

"Smart idea, I like it." A few minutes later and a bird like compass spirit happily put Lucy and Loke back in the right direction. As it turns out they were in fact not going South but West of their destination.

"Little guy loves when you get lost, doesn't he?" Loke chuckled.

Lucy nodded, "Yeah, cause then he gets called out and gets to show off how awesome he is."

* * *

"Huh, I'm kinda surprised we haven't heard anyone screaming in pain yet." Natsu said.

"Yeah, woulda thought Lucy would run into somebody and get rid of them for us, you know so we don't have to." Gray sighed. _If only_ , he thought.

Erza smashed their heads together annoyed. "While we are dealing with dangerous dark mages, we do not want anyone dead! Lucy is not in her right mind set and will most likely do worst to anyone she sees. Racer is barely alive because of Ichiya's health revive perfume."

Natsu and Gray looked to eachother before shrugging. They couldn't really find it in themselves to feel bad for any dark mages who get hurt, given that they literally kidnapped a little girl.

Those from Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus couldn't help but feel the same.

* * *

"So, you think I shouldn't kill anyone, maim is alright, but not kill because it will make me unattractive to my mate?" Lucy recited, taking note from three of her spirits who had come out to comfort her. Loke having left to take a rest.

"Yes, princess. If you kill any of these mages, then I believe Erza may not approve of you as a potential romance partner." Virgo said.

"Yeah ebi, think about it, who wants to get with a murderer." Cancer said.

"Indeed Lucy-sama. And besides you promised to no longer kill." Capricorn scolded.

Lucy sighed in agreement with her spirits. "So damn troublesome. Well, I did promise that, and I don't want to let you guys or my mate down. Alright no killing, but I will hurt them bad, cool?"

"We can accept that." Virgo said before disappearing.

"All good, ebi." Cancer said shooting peace signs.

"Your terms are acceptable." Capricorn says bowing.

* * *

Meanwhile Erza couldn't help stopping where she was as a shiver ran down her spine. "I have the oddest feeling the dumb demon is going to get in even more trouble."

"Yeah, you're probably right about that, then again is Luce really Luce if she isn't doing something to get herself in trouble?" Natsu snickered.

Erza slapped her face tired. "No, no she isn't."

* * *

"What the hell are with these weird vines? Every time I take a step, they like, what's that word where things stay on you and don't release" Lucy said, waving a hand around as if that would help her.

"Trap you?" A voice said, watching their vines slowly wrap around Lucy squeezing her. A smirk appeared on their face once they thought they had gotten the upper hand.

"Nah, these weak plants could never do that." Lucy said annoyed, proving her words correct as she effortlessly snaps the vines off her, and continues her trek forward as if she were never even trapped.

"No, what my brain is thinking and tryna say is like they're tryna stop me from moving forward but they can't and it's really annoying." Lucy said, not even questioning the random voice that appeared.

"How did?" Altor whispered.

Loke slapped his face at his oblivious master who was busy conversing with the villain trying to sneak attack her. "This is not gonna end well." Already back in the spirit world so as not to get caught in the crossfire. Loke only prayed the villain didn't end up dead.

"Whadda ya talking bout Loke, I'll take care of these vines… right now!" Lucy grinned devilishly, immediately setting fire to practically everything around her.

"Not vines, villain!" Aquarius yelled.

"Ahhh!" Altor screamed, the intense heat coming from the blonde idiot in front of him was too much for all his vines trying to protect him. In the end her flames vaporized every single one eventually taking him out, leaving him nothing but a burnt mess.

Taking a breath Lucy looked to the area she decimated, satisfied with her work. After enough admiring of her work she walked on, oblivious to the mage she had accidently taken out with her flames.

"All clear Loke! Loke?" Lucy yelled looking around for her trusty spirit.

"Virgo. Please." Loke said tiredly.

"No thank you, big brother." Virgo said in her signature monotone.

"At least check to see if Atlas is alive?" Loke asked.

"Are you kidding me, you see how hot the brat's flames were, that guy's dead." Aquarius sighed. "Not even worth wasting energy to check. And I'm pretty sure the guys named is Adlib."

"No way, it's Atlord!" Scorpio yelled.

"Nah, ebi's name was Annie." Cancer said.

"I am absolutely positive it was not that." Loke deadpanned.

"I'm sorry, but if Annabelle is dead, does that mean princess broke her promise, sorry?" Aries asked.

"We are! Not technically since she didn't even notice the idiot tryna attack her." Scorpio laughed. God, he loved his master.

"Lucifer grant me strength." Loke said, deciding it was okay to turn a blind eye to the formerly new member of the Oración Seis.

"Andrea!" Sagittarius yelled.

* * *

After walking for a while longer Lucy looked around her surroundings disappointed. So far, she hadn't seen anybody to fight, and take her anger out on.

" _What a drag."_

"IF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION PRINCESS THEN YOU WOULD'VE!" Every single spirit of Lucy's shouted.

"This is boring I'm just gonna- "

"Don't you even dare do that." Aquarius growled, finally coming out of her key to stop her idiot brat from doing something even more idiotic. She had lost rock, paper, scissors to the other spirits, leaving her to be the one to have to come out and stop Lucy form being her usual dumb self.

"But it'll make it easier to find her!"

"No! Look, you are not burning down this forest like Lucifer used to do just so you can create a shortcut to those idiots' hideout. Just, I don't know sniff out the little kid." Aquarius said, trying and failing to act as if she wasn't also worried about Wendy.

Lucy bit her lip in thought. "That could work but Brain teleported Wendy away, I can't sniff her out like that."

The spirit frowned at Lucy's words. So basically, they were at square one, letting the idiot do her own thing. However, Lucy being her usual self-decided not to let this get her down and continued walking forward.

"Alright! No more stopping guys, every second you stop is a second Wendy could already be by my side!" Lucy cheered.

"Wha-you're the one who's been stopping!" Aquarius yelled, smacking Lucy on the back of her head.

"Ow, stop, please, we need to-ow, keep going!" Lucy whined trying and failing to block Aquarius hits.

* * *

 **Meanwhile with Natsu and the others**

"So obviously Lucy was here." Erza deadpanned. Right in front of them lay a burnt body, with a good deal of the surrounding area scorched.

"Awesome, one less bad guy for us to take out!" Natsu cheered.

"Yeah, leave it to Lucy to cut us some slack." Gray said, high fiving Natsu.

"Indeed, while I don't condone killing, this is actually quite beneficial for us." Leon said smirking.

Blue Pegasus couldn't help but agree.

Erza already felt an oncoming headache from the idiots behind her. "You know what, I think it's about time we split up. We'll cover more ground that way." Erza noted.

The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"So how are we gonna group up?" Gray asked.

"Well, there are really only five members of the Oración Seis left once you rid the two Lucy took out already. With the information Lucy has gotten us we know their base is south of here and they plan on using Wendy. What for, we're not sure." Erza said.

"Alright then, well I guess if it's a case of who we're going after then I'll go after that angel chick. If Lucy can beat her, then she can't be that tough." Gray announced.

" Sherry and I shall go with Gray." Leon nodded to Gray, who smirked. "Depending on the type of magic she has Sherry's doll magic may prove useful."

"Very well." Erza nodded in approval at the group. "That works. Jura?"

"I wish to engage Hot-Eye." Jura frowned. "Softening the earth and hardening the earth. Our magic against each other is basically a battle of which is stronger. Let me handle him."

"Hmm." Erza turned to the rest. "And the rest?"

"I'll fight Cobra!" Natsu shouted. "If Lucy can take him on no problem then so can I! Plus, I'll have Happy by my side to help me against his flying snake!"

Erza thought about the match up for a moment before accepting. "Very well but take note that Cobra can somehow predict your moves before you even do them and be careful."

"We got this!"

"Well then, since Angel, Cobra and Hot-Eye are being taken care of. I'll take on Midnight." Erza announced. "Blue Pegasus you search for Nirvana."

"Right!"

"Men!"

" _Brain we're coming for you." Erza thought._

* * *

"Kyaaa!" Wendy wailed after Brain tossed her roughly against a cave wall.

Cobra frowned at the little girl his boss tossed, he still didn't understand the purpose of her and was a little unsure that it was a good idea to even take her. "Yo Brain, you ever gonna tell us who this girl is?"

"I mean, is there a connection to Nirvana?

"It doesn't look like it..." Angel observed, studying her carefully.

"Her magic. It relates to the magic of the skies..." Brain informed them. "In other words, healing magic", he explained, after seeing their confused faces.

"What's healing- "

Wendy noticing that none of them were paying any attention to her, slowly got up and began sucking in mouthfuls of air. Despite knowing she probably couldn't take them all on, especially with the leader there, she had hoped she could at least distract them long enough to get away. Once Wendy got her fill of air, she quickly released it all.

"SKY DRAGON ROAR!"

"Crash!"

"My powers aren't only for healing! She yelled at the scrambled members of Oración Seis. Wendy was halfway through the cave, happiness filling her at the prospect of getting away. With still no sign of anyone chasing her Wendy kept on running despite wanting to pass out from fatigue.

 _Lucy's gonna be so pr- "_ Lucy!"

Just as Wendy was about to reach what looked to be an exit her eyes widened, heart beating fast as she saw Lucy, an equally giant grin on her face, appearing before her. She was going to be saved from theses monsters. Tears of joy fell from her face as she continued to run to the girl she looked up to.

"LU-LUCY!?" Wendy screamed. Before Wendy could reach Lucy, the older blonde was shot through straight through the stomach by one of Brains blasts, leaving a gaping hole in her stomach. Blood shot out from her mouth, eyes widening in surprise at the attack. Wendy hurried to reach the girl but true to her personality tripped and was only able to watch as Lucy was then strangled by Cobras giant snake, the bright light in her saviors' eyes beginning to dim.

"LUCYYYY! Nooo!" Wendy reached out crying, watching in horror as Lucy fell backwards from the cliff of the cave once relased from the giant snakes clutches. Wendy all but passed out from the shock of seeing Lucy die right in front of her eyes.

* * *

"Whoa. Midnight what the hell did you make the kid see?" Angel say, slightly disturbed by the way the bluenette was screaming in agony, tears streaming down her face before finally passing out.

"Her worst nightmare…whatever that is." The goth mage said shrugging, going back to sleep.

Cobra and the others looked at eachother all in agreement never to piss off the sleeping mage.

* * *

"Now that that's over, tell me again what's the point of her?"

"Her healing magic, I just said, we were going to use her healing magic. Were you even listening?"

Cobra scratched the back of his head, "Heh, not really. Wait hold up. Are you saying-"

"Yes, finally you get it!" Brain shouted. "She will revive him for us."

Brain smirked. "Cobra, bring you know who here so when the girl wakes up everything can begin to fall into place."

"It's so far..." The man sighed. "Uh, stupid Racer getting his ass kicked. It's gonna take a bit to get him."

"That's fine."

"Hot-Eye, Angel, Midnight, and Alto- where is Altor." Brain commanded.

Angel rolled her eyes. "Uh, hell if I know. Probably was an idiot and tried going after blondie only to get his ass kicked."

"I hate that you're most likely right. Whatever he wasn't even an official Oracion member, so let's continue on with our plans. Cobra, once done, assist Hot-eye and Angel with the search for Nirvana. In case complications arise, I, as well as Midnight, will remain here."

"Got it." Cobra nodded, leaving for their guest.

"Nirvana, a magic that exchanges the light and darkness will finally be ours." Brain grinned darkly.

* * *

Natsu was in the middle of walking with Happy and Charle when he began speaking to the white cat who had decided to join them.

"Hey, why exactly are you with us?" Happy asked. "Not that I'm complaining, you can follow me anywhere, but I thought you would want to follow Lucy?"

"While that is true, Lucy and I aren't exactly best friends." Charle observed. "Yes, Lucy and I both care about Wendy immensely, but to be honest we'd most likely just insult each other the entire way." Charle softly smiled. "Lucy and I have more of a love-hate relationship."

Natsu and Happy were surprised to find the prim and proper cat smiling at her words, but then again anything having to do with Lucy usually was funny.

She turned to Natsu after she got a hold of herself. "What about you and Lucy? You two seem close."

Natsu smiled at the cat's question. Now this was one question he was more than happy to answer.

"Heck yeah we are. We're best friends! Luce is my partner and we're gonna find Igneel and Lucifer together so they can battle to see who is stronger one day." Natsu boasted.

Charle smiled at the dragon slayer happy the blonde fool found another person to care for her. Their happy moment however was interrupted by a dark beam flying right past Happy's face.

"Ah, Natsu someone tried attacking me!" Happy cried.

Natsu immediately lit his fists readying himself for a fight. "No one hurts my best friend and gets away with it!"

"That's what you think." A gruff voice laughed before shooting another beam at Natsu who dodged.

"Fire Dragons Roar!"

"Not so fast! Wind slicer!"

Natsu stared surprised as his fire was slashed in half by the appearance of a new mage. To be honest the move kinda reminded him of Juvia's water slicer but he couldn't really give it much more thought before another gust of wind was shot at him.

"Oh man, I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled, excited to finally be fighting.

* * *

Meanwhile in another part of the forest Lucy was standing back to back with Loke in a battle-ready stance, currently having gotten herself in the same situation as Natsu had. She couldn't help but smile at the amount of people surrounding them though, finally she could fight.

"Hey, you guys know where Oracion-seis is hiding?" Lucy asked.

"Maybe, maybe not," One said.

"Gato-niisan don't go telling people that we might know about Oracion-seis!" another bandit yelled.

"That's why I also said maybe we didn't, Zato-niisan."

Lucy and Loke looked at eachother confused. "Is that a yes?"

"We are Naked Mummy, an Oración Seis-affiliated guild." Gato announced.

"Alright then, so they do know!" Lucy cheered. "This makes things easier."

"Ho ho ho!" Zato chuckled, waving a hand. "Hear that brother, blonde one thinks we'll go easy on her!"

"Nah you got it all wrong, I'm gonna take it easy on you cause Aqua and the others said I can't kill." Lucy explained sagely.

"Ha, as if you could take us out!" Gato laughed.

"I can and I will! And you know what just for that insult Loke take out that annoying monkey!"

Loke grinned at the monkey looking mages ferally. "My pleasure princess."

"You are fools. We are an Oración Seis-affiliated guild. Meaning we are powerful!" Zato repeated.

"So am I!" Lucy shouted. "And also, you just said that, dumbass!"

Zato smirked in anticipation. "Oh yeah, well you are also going to die!"

"Yeah, well so are you!" Lucy yelled.

"Nuhuh, because I said you're gonna die first, so that means you're gonna die first not me."

Lucy looked at the monkey man confused. "But I said it second so it could still mean you'll die first even though I said it second!" Lucy said.

"Nu- "

"Will both of you shut up!" Loke and Gato said.

 **Five minutes later**

Lucy stretched out while high fiving Loke on a job well done. "I think we could've taken those guys out faster but still nicely done Loke." Lucy smiled.

Loke kicked a bandit about to get back up before turning back to smile at his master. "You're probably right but when else are we gonna fight a bunch of talking monkeys?"

Lucy stared at her loyal spirit before answering. "Damn, we should've dragged that out longer."

* * *

"You fool, you beat these two men before we could question if they knew where Brain was, or if they were even associated with the Oración Seis!" Charle yelled, wincing at the two men still groaning from their beat down. That wasn't even a fight to be honest.

Natsu picked at his ear before speaking, "Ha, now I get why you and Lucy don't get along!"

Charle couldn't help the twitch of her eyebrow, at the dragon slayers comment. "And now I know why you and she get along so well."

* * *

"No sign of the dumb demon anywhere, or Brain…this is not good." Erza sighed as she continued her trek farther into the woods. Surprisingly Erza had yet to encounter anyone or thing that could prove to be of use to her.

* * *

 **Back with the Oración Seis**

"Here. Next time we want to resurrect a dude in a coma can we at least make sure we have him already with us." Cobra groaned, slamming a large coffin down.

"Why didn't you just have your flying snake help you with it?" Brain deadpanned.

" _Cubellios_ is my friend, I would never make her do such lowly peasant work." Cobra hissed.

Brain stared at his subordinate blankly. "Anyways, wake the girl." Brain smirked as he unlocked the coffin.

Cobra nodded kicking the girl in the stomach giving her a rude awakening. "Ughh!" Wendy grunted, tears streaming down her face as she awoke from her sleep.

"Ahh, nice to see you finally awake Sky Sorceress. You were asleep for quite a while." Brain chuckled. "You had quite the fit but now that you're awake we can get back on track."

Wendy rubbed her aching stomach, trying to remember what happened exactly that had made her pass out. It hit her a few moments later, that Lucy had died right in front of her eyes, killed by these monsters. Wendy covered her face as she began to cry even harder, the knowledge that the girl she loved was dead destroyed her.

"Not again, Cobra!" Brain yelled.

"On it." The dragon slayer yawned kneeling to the younger girl and backhanding her. "Knock it off already!"

Wendy was tossed backwards at the force of the mans hit. She couldn't help the tears that fell from her face but knew if she continued to cry then she might experience even more pain from them. Wiping her face, she nodded and looked to the leader.

"There we go, now that I have your attention, I'll explain to you that for your own good, you will cure this man here."

"That coffin seems really creepy." Wendy shivered. "I don't like creepy things, so I'll pass."

Cobra and Brain looked at each other in shock. This little girl had spunk.

Cobra chuckled, "Kid's attitude did a total 180…I like her."

"No, no passing! You will." Brain countered. "Otherwise your life will be shorter then you're height."

Wendy turned around in tears. "I'm not that short! Besides Charle said I'm still growing you jerk!"

"Damn Brain, you're really ruthless." Cobra said.

"I'm evil, what do you expect." Brain shrugged, opening the coffin revealing an unconscious Jellal.

Wendy gasped at the sight before her. She hadn't seen this person in so long.

"This man is Jellal." Brain informed her. "He has once managed to infiltrate the Magic Council. In short, he knows where Nirvana is."

"Jellal..." Wendy whispered. _"I wanna see you again, but he made fun of my height and killed Lucy, so I kinda don't wanna do anything that might help this jerk." Wendy teared up._

"This man is a ghost haunted by another ghost..." Brain smirked. "A sad idealist... however, you owe him quite a lot, don't you? Hurry up and revive him."

"But if he's a ghost, isn't he already dead? I can't heal dead people." Wendy said.

"What. No, he's not actually dead, I mean he's just- you know what I hope you know your sassiness did this!"

Wendy paled when Brain grew impatient and brought a dagger out. She prayed he wasn't going to do what she thought he was going to do. "Please no, I'm not strong like Lucy. I'm just a marshmallow!" she found herself yelling.

"No, you deserve this marshmallow!" Brain yelled. Then before Wendy could even blink, he brought down the dagger and stabbed it into Jellal's arm. It was a bit confusing to Wendy.

"Uh...what was that supposed to do?" Wendy asked, still terrified of the situation.

Brain and Cobra looked at each other than back to Wendy. "It was supposed to make you want to heal him now!"

"But you stabbed him not me, I care about Jellal but…you're stabbing the person _you_ need not me. If I'm not injured than…you know…" Wendy shrugged, rubbing her arm.

"She's got a point." Cobra said.

"Who raised you?" Brain scoffed. "I mean really, healing him should be simple enough for you, so just do it."

Wendy puffed up her cheeks and looked away defiantly. Despite her not wanting to see such an important person in pain, she knew deep down if she healed him then something very bad would happen.

"It seems you need a little time to make up your mind." Brain mused. "Very well. You have five minutes to think this over."

"Twenty!"

"Ten."

"Fifteen."

"Dear god…twelve."

"…Thirteen."

"FINE FINE! If you will think it over then thirteen minutes is what you will get, BUT THAT IS ALL!" Brain roared. "But to help hurry the process here's a little taste of what's to come if you don't make a decision in the allotted time." Brain chuckled darkly.

Before Wendy could react, a searing pain erupted in her arm, looking down she saw a deep gash appear. Tears welling up at the pain.

"Tch, shoulda expected that kid" Cobra said. He really didn't care what they did to who so long as they got what they wanted, so seeing this kid get hurt was just another means to an end.

Wendy couldn't help but begin to cry, knowing that no matter what she decided Jellal was getting healed and she was most definitely going to end up with a scar.

* * *

"Aww man Happy, look at this. We missed a hell of a fight." Natsu said pouting. Right in front of them was pile after pile of monkey people.

"Well at least it looks like we're going in the right direction Natsu." Happy said.

"Indeed, and by the looks of it, this was Lucy's doing." Charle added.

"Yeah, man I bet this was one hell of a fight." Natsu sighed as he began to sprint towards his partner. "Well, at least I got to fight those two random weirdos, too bad they never said who they were."

"That's because you didn't even try asking them! You just up and beat them before even trying to get answers from them!" Charle yelled exasperated.

"Semantles." Natsu replied.

"Do not even with that word." Charle deadpanned.

* * *

Lucy paused in her steps sniffing the air. The scent of blood, it was familiar to her and it got her even angrier than she already was.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your life Brain." Lucy growled, flames erupting around her as she ran to where she smelt the blood.

* * *

"Oh!" Angel grinned. "Look what I found!

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little miss devil." Gray drawled.

Leon and Sherry laughed. "Indeed."

"My name is Angel!"

Gray, Leon and Sherry stared blankly at the former celestial user, unfazed by her outburst.

Angel growled at the three light guild members. She knew exactly why they weren't treating her as a threat, and they were going to regret that.

"Nah, I think we'll be just fine." Gray replied, to Angel who had accidently spoken aloud.

"Yes, if that blonde buffoon could beat you then the three of us will have no problem." Sherry yawned.

Angel stomped her foot angrily. "I am going to enjoy killing you three."

Leon and Gray got into their ice make stance while Sherry summoned a rock puppet. "We'll see about that." The three said in unison.

* * *

"What the lucifer is this?" Lucy growled, her anger only growing at the scene before her and Loke. Wendy was seen crying on the ground holding a bloody arm, a giant bruise clear on her face. Meanwhile a smirking Brain, and a fully restored and stoic Jellal stood across from the others. Cobra had left a while ago to see where Altor was and check on the status of Nirvana.

 **"** Lu-Lucy..." Wendy croaked, voice filled with happiness. " You're...a-alive" she hiccupped. "I'm sorry, it's just…he threatened me, and I thought you died, I really am a marshmallow."

Brain smirked over at Lucy. "She's the fluffiest marshmallow in the batch."

"SHE IS NO MARSHMALLOW, SHE IS A LIL' DRAGON!" Lucy roared. Barely holding back from exploding and potentially injuring the person she came here to save. "AND I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR MAKING MY LIL' DRAGON THINK I DIED!"

Brain froze in place at the blonde's yell. Even he was slightly thrown off by her power.

"Lil dragon, lil marshmallow. Call her what you want because in the end she did her job." Brain composed himself. "I have what I wanted!"

"DIE!" Lucy yelled, a scorching hot fist embedding itself in the leader of the Oración Seis stomach.

"Ack!" Lying motionlessly on the ground Lucy then turned to the other presence in the cave, her anger only doubling.

"Jello..." Lucy growled, the air heating up around her. "Why are you here?"

Jellal eyed Lucy calmly as the girl went to charge at him, not speaking. Instead he stretched out a hand, engulfing Lucy in a blast of energy. However much to his surprise Lucy came rushing through it with her signature white cloak shielding her. Before he could defend himself, Lucy was already in the process of giving him an uppercut to the jaw.

The blow from her threw Jellal back several feet. While Brain observed from where he lay, he grew shocked the blonde was able to withstand such a blast and began preparing his own attack.

"That was…. quite impressive" Brain huffed. "However, let's see you dodge this!" the dark mage yelled with what little strength he had, "Dark Cap-Ughh!"

Within seconds Lucy was in front of Brain serving a nice firm kick in the mages face, the intensity of the blow throwing him into shock and knocking him out. However, despite being down for the count, Lucy refused to let up and continued to beat the downed man. By the time she was finished the leader was unrecognizable.

"You're lucky I know how to hold back, otherwise you'd be dead from my beating." Lucy explained threateningly to the unconscious man.

"Uh...you sure he's not dead, princ- wait never mind he's still breathing." Loke called out as he checked the dark mages pulse. The celestial spirit let out a sigh of relief. Despite wanting to stop Lucy, he really couldn't find it in his heart to once he saw Wendy's bloody arm, bruised face with tears streaming down. Realizing she was injured because of Brain even he was tempted to let Lucy kill the man.

Lucy shot a thumbs up to her spirit as she headed to where Wendy lay on the ground. Her priority, aside from getting rid of Brain, was making sure Wendy was alright. Lucy smiled wide at the small mage unaware of Jellal slowly getting back up frowning. With his hand outstretched towards Lucy, the newly revived mage went and blasted a hole beneath Lucy's feet sending her away from him.

Before Wendy could warn Lucy about Jellal's attack Lucy was already falling, this time the older girl was reaching out to Wendy as she disappeared before the smaller girls' sight.

"Lucy!" Wendy yelled.

"Regulus punch!" Loke yelled slamming a golden fist in the newly revived mages stomach.

Jellal staggered backwards thrown off by the punch, giving Loke enough time to send another punch to Jellal. However, this time he was ready and sent another pulse of magic at the spirit sending him back to the spirit world.

Wendy, too occupied in seeing if Lucy was alright, missed Jellal walking pass her out of the cave.

"Grrr, I wasn't gonna kill anyone tahday, till Jellal came around! Might make meh brek dat promise, oke!" Lucy's muffled voiced yelled from beneath all the rubble. Wendy looked to where she heard Lucy's voice, immediately jumping out of the way when she came shooting out of the hole with a feral grin on her face and immense heat emitting off her body.

""Jellal..." Lucy scowled. "That blueberry bastard... who does he think he is showing up here making me fall through a hole, he's gonna pay for that...but first." Lucy paused and turned to where Wendy was initially laying, the demon slayer running to the smaller girl patting the smaller body all over checking for any injuries. The urge to kill Brain rising at the sight of Wendy's injuries.

"Lil dragon, I'm so super-duper sorry I let you get taken!" Lucy yelled, head touching the ground as she bowed down to the smaller girl. "Now look, you got hurt cause me!"

Wendy waved off Lucy's apologies, or at least tried to, her arm and face hurt a lot. Instead she jumped into her arms, tears of joy falling. She was so happy that Lucy didn't die, and in that moment never wanted to release the blonde. Immediately, Lucy hugged the younger girl back, happy to feel Wendy back in her arms.

"It's okay, look now we'll match!" Wendy said, hoping to soothe Lucy's guilt as she pointed out Lucy's bandaged arm.

Lucy's eyes brightened at the prospect, a giant grin appearing on her face. "Yeah! We will won't we! Hey, wait a sec, where's Jemal?" Lucy asked looking around, sniffing the air.

Wendy looked around noticing the absence of the blueberry haired man. "I don't know, he was here a minute ago." Wendy said, slightly wincing as Virgo applied a bandage over the young girl's injury.

Lucy sighed, this only added to her workload. "So troublesome, now I gotta take care of discount Mystogan."

Wendy giggled at the numerous namedrops Lucy was doing for Jellal, following behind the older girl as they went to find him and the rest of the Oración Seis.

Line break

"It's a little early for my appearance, but then again you were weak." A gruff voice growled. Slowly pushing himself up was not Brain, but rather his alter personality Zero. With shoulder length silver hair and red eyes, this different man smiled creepily at the turn of events, despite all his injuries.

"It seems Jellal has taken to wandering off." Zero drawled, ignoring all the pain in his body. "If he's not here…then he must have his own plans?"

"Cobr-ssss!" He couldn't help but hiss in pain from his injuries. "Grrr, Cobra, Jellal has…fled! Find wherever he's going, if I'm right then he's headed towards Nirvana!"

 _For now, Zero thought, I will gain my energy back. And before I forget-_

"Midnight where the hell were you while Brain was getting the shit beat out of him?!" Zero growled at the newly appeared mage.

Midnight chuckled awkwardly. "Apologies father but I had to use the restroom."

"We are in a cave this whole place is your restroom! Grr, get out of my face right now you little emo wizard." Zero growled.

* * *

 _Lucy! Can you hear me?_

Lucy looked around in alarm. "Lucifer! Is that you?"

 _Oh, uh no it's me, Hibiki of Blue Pegasus._ The voice told her.

"Damn it Hoboki, I thought you were Lucifer for a second, I'm so gonna punch you next time I see you!"

" _Wait, no please don't,_ I'm sorry! _This was the only way I could connect to everyone and even then, you're the only one who answered so far._ Where are you?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at the voice in her head. "Whatever. I'm by a bunch of trees. Oh, and I got Windy with me!"

 _Shh! Speak a bit lower. Cobra has excellent hearing! There's a risk of him overhearing us, which is why I'm speaking directly into your head. You didn't happen to beat him, did you?"_

"Nah, it's weird I haven't run into anyone but Brain and…well it doesn't matter just know I took Brain out but like I beat him up; not I took him out for dinner or something I would never betray my mate like that!"

 _Uh...okay. Look, I'm uploading a map to your mind that will show you our location... hurry back. Hibiki said._

"What do you..." Lucy bent over in pain at the influx of information downloaded into her head. "Ahhh, too many pictures, too fast!"

Wendy stood next to Lucy patting her back soothingly, in hopes of helping her overcome the pain. It took a few minutes, but as fast as the pain came it left.

"Woo, that sucked, come on Wendy let's go." Lucy said smiling.

"You're so weird Lucy." Wendy smiled, happy to be back with the weirdo.


	27. Chapter 27

In another part of the forest

"Ice make Lance!"

"Ice make Tiger!"

"Go my tree Puppet!"

Angel's eyes widened at the three oncoming spells, at the rate of speed each spell was sent she could only watch as they came and hit her head on, the impact of them sending her on her back.

" _All I wanted…was to become an Angel_ " she thought before losing consciousness.

"Well that takes care of the angel chick." Gray said, looking at the motionless celestial mage in front of them.

"Like I said, if the blonde buffoon could take her then so could we." Sherry said with a smirk, as her tree puppet used its roots to tie up the dark mage.

Leon merely smirked at his two friends, proud of their success in taking down one of the Oración Seis. Thinking of his master he knew she would be proud of her disciples working together.

* * *

"Impossible." Zero clutched his head as another tattooed line on his cheek faded. "Angel has been defeated... the second of the six pillars have fallen. Not that it matters but our forces dwindle."

"Uh I don't mean to be rude father, but I believe that would be third, remember Altor." Midnight interrupted.

Zero rolled his eyes at the reminder of the extra. "It seems I have underestimated my opponents..." He growled. "To think I would have to use you. Midnight!" He snapped. "Eliminate every last one of them!"

"Very well." The teen agreed, standing up. "As you wish, Father."

* * *

"I know you are there." Jura intoned calmly. "Show yourself!"

He frowned when the ground under him turned into soft earth, churning around him causing him to slightly lose his balance.

"As expected from a Wizard Saint." His attacker observed calmly.

Jura scowled and sent two rock missiles at the man, who made a V-sign and melted them.

"My magic deals with softening earth, while yours hardens it." He stepped forward. "The question is which is stronger, yes?"

"A mage with a strong conviction shall always come out on top." Jura told him.

"Not true." Hot-Eye countered. "No matter the strength, the ones who come out on top are the ones with the money, yes?"

"Actually, that is not true. As I recall the Ishgar Demon lived with little money but is far stronger than you and I combined."

Hoteye stared at the wizard saint. "Shut up."

* * *

Natsu was in the middle of finding Lucy's scent when a second scent practically slapped his face, just the smell of this familiar scent caused his anger to rise.

"What the hell is Jellal doing here?!"

"I don't know but I found him in the cave when I rescued lil' dragon." Lucy answered popping up next to Natsu. Natsu, Charle and even Happy couldn't help falling backwards in shock of the appearance of the newcomers. Their friend really was excellent at sneaking around.

"Luce! Where the hell you'd come from and how'd you sneak up on me without me noticing?" Natsu said happily, clapping the blonde's shoulder and grinning at the bluenette on Lucy's back. "Sup Wendy!"

"Hi Natsu." Wendy said tiredly, after all that's happened, she was beginning to come down form her adrenaline high.

Lucy grinned toothily at her partner, "Hoboki gave me a map to follow in my head but I got lost."

"Of course, the dense fool did." Charle sighed exasperated.

"Shaddup cat, I don't see you leading me to the place I need to go to!" Lucy countered.

"That's because I don't even know where it is!" Charle yelled back.

"Then I guess we're at an impact!"

"It's impasse you buffoon!" Charle yelled, smacking the blonde on the head.

"Why you!" Lucy growled back baring her fangs.

Natsu, and Happy looked back and forth at the two arguing mages, unsure whether they should interrupt the two's arguing, while Wendy laid her head on Lucy's back chuckling. It was only when a dark light began erupting from the middle of the forest into the sky that Lucy and Charle paused in their fighting and went back to focusing on their main mission. Charle quickly climbed off Lucy's head embarrassed for her loss of composure, while Lucy rubbed the back of her head where it was sore from Charle smacking her.

"Err, is that normal around these parts lil' dragon?" Lucy asked confused. She hadn't been in these parts of the woods in so long that she wasn't sure what had changed, maybe this light show was some new addition to attract more people.

Wendy sweat dropped at her friend. "Err, no that light has nothing to do with the forest."

"Alright then towards the ominous light!" Natsu yelled.

"To the omnipotent light!" Lucy cheered, running after Natsu with Wendy on her back.

"Ominous you idiot, not omnipotent!" Charle screamed chasing after the three. "And how do you even know that word?!"

"Pfft, Lushie's funny." Happy laughed.

* * *

 **A few minutes earlier**

 _What's up with this guy?_ Cobra wondered, watching Jellal wander around. _I can't hear him... if I could hear his inner voice, there wouldn't be any need for me to stalk him like this... wait, why'd he stop?_

His eyes shot wide when he noticed the huge chain-bound structure Jellal was looking up at. _What the... there was a place like this here? How the hell did we miss this?"_

Jellal placed his hand on the construct and a pillar of light shot up around it.

 _Cobra was ecstatic at the turn of events that had occurred. They had achieved their goals of activating Nirvana, now they just had to rid those idiot light guild members, and everything would continue to go according to plan._

* * *

Hibiki was wide-eyed at the sight before him. "That's..."

* * *

"Is that nirvana" Erza wondered, as she jogged through the forest alone towards the dark pillar of light that erupted out of nowhere. With no sight of Midnight anywhere she decided her best bet of finding anyone else from the Oración Seis would be where that light was coming from.

"Mavis, I'm becoming like the dumb demon heading towards danger." Erza groaned, not stopping in her pace.

* * *

Zero stared at the light smirking. "There's no doubt about it."

"Congratulations father." Midnight smiled. "Now I will proceed to eliminate every one of those mages before night arrives."

Zero turned to Midnight frowning, "I thought I told you to leave a while ago, what are you still doing here?"

"I just thought you would want the company until- "

"Leave already!"

"Apologies father!" Midnight yelled running off.

* * *

"What do you think that light is?" Eve asked, pointing at it.

"Take a look." Ren motioned to a tree. "Whatever it is, it seems to be sucking out some weird substance from that black tree."

Eve paled. "What exactly is going on?"

Ren gasped. "You don't think that's where Nirvana is hidden, do you?"

"Wait..." Eve was in shock. "That would mean someone found it already!"

"But was it our alliance or Oración Seis?" Ren put two fingers to his head. "Hibiki! What's going on? Can you hear me? Hibiki!"

"That magical force must be blocking our telepathy." Eve frowned, looking around.

"We should head back to the clearing and see what's going on, if I know Fairy Tail they will already be heading towards that light." Ren said to Eve.

"That's true and if I'm right then we might be able to find Hibiki and Ichiya… lets go then!"

* * *

"Shit." Gray scowled. "What the hell is going on?"

"I'm not sure but I'd say whatever that light is, isn't a good sign." Leon drawled.

"No shit sherlock."

"Now now boys, no need to fight. Let's find the others so we can find out exactly what that light is and if anyone needs our help." Sherry said.

Gray and Leon stared at each other shrugging. "Fine." Then running towards the direction of the light they went on their way to find out what was going on.

* * *

"Well then that was a short-lived fight. I guess my earth magic was superior in the end." Jura sighed.

"Money…it was supposed to be superior to everything." Hot-Eye groaned, from the pain that was inflicted on him.

"As I said before money is not every-what on earth?"

The wizard saint barely had time to cover his eyes before he was blinded by a dark light which passed over his entire body. "Was that Nirvana? Did someone activate it already?!"

"You were right Wizard Saint Jura. Wealth is not power…no, I was a fool to think so."

Jura quickly turned around to stare at the downed mage trapped in his rock magic. The dark mage looked at him with remorse in his eyes as he continued to speak.

"I was desperate to find my lost younger brother you know... thinking if I had money, I would be able to find him..." Hot-Eye sighed. "But now I can see it was all a mistake."

"Money was never the answer."

Jura stared at the former dark mage confused, this change of attitude was befuddling to the wizard saint. He couldn't help but think it was a ruse to make him lower his guard and attack him when his back was turned.

"Leave me and find your friends. They will need your help now that Nirvana has been activated, the dark mage said, feeling as if a giant weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Jura's eyes widened at Hot-Eyes words. _Nirvana has been activated!_

Jura looked back to the dark mage before leaving, using his rock magic to trap Hot-Eye, the earth magic user left the Oración Seis mage behind in search of his other light guild members. "I will be back for you Hot-Eye, do not worry."

Hot-Eye nodded at the wizard saint content with his capture.

* * *

Erza gasped at seeing the person ahead of her. It had taken a while but once she reached the pillar of light, she was faced with the one person whom she had thought to have died.

"Je-Jellal?"

Jellal turned from his position in front of the pillar of Light to face Erza, raising an arm at the armored mage and shooting a beam of magic at her or so she thought.

* * *

"Lucy if you can hear me, I'm moving from my original location and heading- "

"You got it Henry!" Lucy shouted aloud, much to the confusion of Natsu, Wendy and the others.

" Who's Henry?" Natsu mumbled.

"I think she meant Hibiki." Wendy whispered back.

"Blonde buffoon." Charle sighed.

"Lushie's a weirdo."

"Harold just told me where he's going so let's keep on heading towards that weird light and I bet we'll get a really strong bad guy to fight Natsu!" Lucy cheered.

" _And I probably should've told you all this earlier but it's about Nirvana, Lucy. It's dangerous, very dangerous." Hibiki explained._

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"It's an extremely dangerous form of magic." Hibiki sighed. "It makes light and darkness switch places."_

"Wha? Like when me and Natsu switched bodies?"

"Uh... no, not exactly. Basically, you'll no longer be you're goofy self, but that's only the final stage." Hibiki continued. "The first thing that happens when the seal is removed is the black light we see now. It causes those with feelings between light and darkness to switch alignments completely. That means the people on the side of the light who are experiencing powerful negative emotions fall to the darkness."

Loke's face drained of color at Hibiki's words. Thankfully he could hear everything his master was hearing and at the Blue Pegasus explanation of what Nirvana did he was very worried. He knew, despite Lucy's happy demeanor right now, she was still angry about Jellal's reappearance.

"Oh Lucifer." Loke mumbled.

"Hibiki" Loke called. "What about Lucy? Is her rage going to turn her?"

"I'd doubt it." Hibiki frowned. "Her rage is a mixture of protectiveness for Wendy and not liking what the Oración Seis is doing. Then again, it's a toss-up, so we'll have to just wait and see."

Loke nodded, worried for his master.

"What should we do?" Happy moaned. "I don't get it..."

"Because you're stupid." Charle shot back. "Basically, because the seal on Nirvana was broken, anyone wavering between good and evil will go through a major change in personality."

"The reason Hibiki didn't say anything about it before is because once people started thinking about stuff as either good or evil, bad feelings would pop up all over the place." Lucy said, reciting Hibiki's words about Nirvana to the others.

* * *

"So, all of us will turn bad if Nirvana is completely activated?" Wendy asked, shocked.

"But wouldn't it work both ways?" Happy asked. "Wouldn't the guys from dark guilds turn into good people?"

"Err, Hoboki said it's possible. But what sucks bout Nirvana is it can be controlled. So, like if they wanna use the thing on one specific guild than they could and start an all-out war. Whoever controlled Nirvana could make those things happen with great chee-oh my bad ease."

Hibiki couldn't help slapping his face, if only he could get his telepathy through to everyone else, he wouldn't have to have Lucy recite back what he was saying.

"We must put an end to this without delay, or the world's light guilds will be annihilated." Charle said, as the group continued to run towards the giant beam of light.

* * *

"Lucy-san!" Hibiki called as he caught up to her. "I can't believe I actually caught up to you!" He huffed trying to catch his breath.

"I know specially since you don't look that athletic."

Hibiki stared at the blunt girl before turning to the others smiling. "Wendy, glad to see you're alright."

"Thanks to Lucy!" Wendy said smiling.

"Well now that we're all here I figured I should let you know that Nirvana isn't actually that far from us now. I've already sent the map to you guys so you should have an easier time finding it, from there you can tackle the source."

"What bout you?" Lucy asked.

"I have a different objective that involves getting you more help which I'll be taking care of." Hibiki said before running off.

"Alright then good enough for me! Lucy answered, trying to figure out how to decipher the map Hibiki had downloaded into her brain.

Wendy shook her head in amusement before a feeling of disappointment hit her. "We need to go this way Lucy", She sighed.

Lucy glanced to her lil' dragon before taking lead. "Yeah, yeah, I knew that!" she grinned, "Now follow me…with Wendy in the lead!"

"Dense fool." Charle mumbled.

* * *

Midnight stared at Eve and Ren calmly. "With this, the hunt begins."

"What is this guy?" Eve muttered, struggling to muster up energy to stand. "My magic can't even touch him!"

Ren looked in horror at his teammate and back to Midnight.

"Still alive?" Midnight raised an eyebrow. "I'll change that right now."

Eve screamed.

"Eve! Ren yelled.

Midnight turned to Ren with a creepy smile on his face. "Don't think I forgot about you."

A simple wave of his hand and Ren was falling to his knees clutching his face, trying to stop the blood that had begun spurting out of several gashes on his face and body.

"That makes two." Midnight observed as Ren collapsed next to Eve's unmoving body. "How boring... is there no one stronger?"

* * *

As Natsu and Lucy walked ahead of the group, Wendy lagged. The smaller dragon slayer couldn't help beginning to feel depressed at the fact she hadn't been able to do anything helpful while part of this mission. Not only had she gotten kidnapped, but so far, she'd gotten herself injured and not contributed at all to the group plans.

"Maybe it would have been better if I never came." Wendy sighed.

"Are you really saying that?" Charle scowled. "Don't think that way or Nirvana will cause you to lose your heart to darkness."

"But I haven't done anything yet!" Wendy protested, only to feel a slight smack on the back of her head. Wendy quickly turned around to see who would do such a thing, coming face to face with a toothy grin. "You're just talking nonsense lil' dragon." Lucy smiled. "You coming here reunited me with you didn't it?" Lucy said happily **.**

"Well…yeah." Wendy said sheepishly, "But I haven't done much fighting and even got kidnapped!" Wendy yelled, receiving yet another smack on her head.

"Stop not smiling. An upside-down smile does not belong on your face." Lucy said grumpily. "Besides you're not fighting unless you really need to while I'm around. You're my kin ya know." Lucy grinned toothily.

The dense demon slayer's words warmed Wendy's heart.

"And you may not think it, but in a way, you did fight during this mission. Staying strong during all the torment those jerks did while they had you captured, that's what being a fighter is." Lucy said, as she ruffled up the little girl's hair.

Wendy began to cry at her goofy friends' words. "I love you Lucy!"

"Pfft, I already knew that, but love you too."

"This is sweet and all but, I have a question." Charle frowned. "You seemed to know who Jellal was back there Wendy. Is there anything you can tell us about him?"

"Jellal." Lucy growled.

"Wait, Jellal is back?!" Natsu yelled grabbing at Lucy's shoulders.

"I know crazy right; I was the same way when I saw him! And not only that, he attacked me!"

"Oh man, we can't let Erza see that guy."

Lucy gasped; she didn't even think about what her mate might do when seeing Jellal. "Oh man if he does anything to her, I swear to Luce!"

"Don't worry Lucy no one's gonna take Erza away from you, that's a promise! Now Wendy tell us how you know Jellal."

"Uh, well" Wendy hesitated, slightly confused at the hostility towards the man from Lucy and Natsu, "Jellal was the one who had saved me after my dragon disappeared." Wendy sighed, remembering a boy with blue hair and a red mark, carrying a staff on his back. "He was lost on the road as well, so we ended up traveling aimlessly together for about a month. But then one day he randomly mentioned something. Whatever caused him to panic was an 'anima' or something."

"Animals?" Lucy frowned in thought.

"No Lucy, anima." Wendy corrected. "I still don't know what he meant back then, but he said it would be too dangerous for me to stay with him, so he left me at Cait Shelter for my safety. I never saw Jellal after that, not until today."

"I had heard rumors of a council member who looked just like him doing all sorts of terrible things. But the Jellal I knew was incredibly kind!" Wendy defended. "I just wonder if he still remembers me."

"Hmm, better not remember my girl, because he touches her, I'm a hurt him. Can't kill him cause my promise but hurt him, oh, I can do that" Lucy grumbled. "Put a hole in my stomach and get away with it, that's what you think." However, Lucy couldn't help but feel slightly off about Wendy's story.

"Wait a sec…Jello couldn't have been with you back then since he was busy being a crazy villain in the tower of heaven."

Natsu instantly perked up, "Yeah Lucy's right, which means that it was someone else who was with Wendy!"

"Really? Then, who was with me all that time?" Wendy asked.

"Beats me." Lucy shrugged.

* * *

Erza's eyes widened, letting out a sigh of relief when the smoke in the cave cleared and she showed no signs of injuries. However, she still couldn't get over seeing Jellal in front of her.

 _Erza?_ Cobra frowned. _How did I not hear her approaching? I can't let her take out Jellal until Nirvana is activated!_

"Jellal..." Erza muttered.

"Erza?"

"Why are you here?!" She shouted.

"I don't know." He muttered. "Erza...Er-za that word is all I can remember."

Erza's eyes widened as he clutched his head.

"Could you tell me... who am I? Do you know who I am... and who this 'Erza' is? I can't remember anything." Jellal looked up with tears forming in his eyes.

Cobra paled. _This guy... lost his memory?_

"Jellal." Erza stepped towards him.

"Stay back!" The man panicked, sending another blast of energy at her that did almost no harm to the armored mage.

"Don't." He hesitated. "Don't come any closer."

"Then you come to me." Erza ordered. "I am Erza. Now come here."

His eyes shot wide.

"Your name is Jellal." She explained. "You were once my comrade. But then, you lost your mind. You desecrated the dead, hurt our friends, destroyed the council, and almost killed the idiot who constantly proclaims their love for me."

"If you're going to say you don't remember any of it, I'll use my sword to make you remember!" Erza shouted. "Now come! Stand here before me!"

"I..." Jellal trembled, trying to cover his tears. "My friends. How terrible I was. What have I done? How can I fix this?"

Erza looked at Jellal slightly worried. _It's almost as if he's..._

* * *

A few moments later Lucy's head shot up when two familiar scents had appeared in the air causing Natsu and the others to instantly back up once they noticed the feral look on Lucy's face. Before any of them could ask her what was wrong, the dense slayer was already speeding off leaving a burnt path behind.

"Wh-where's Lucy going Natsu." Wendy asked, scared.

"Princess has found where Jellal is and has gone to confront him. She has requested I come out and protect lil' dragon." Virgo answered, scaring Wendy and Natsu.

"Ahhh!" the two yelled.

"Apologies for the scare but princess left in a hurry because it turns out her mate also happens to be with Jellal. Please feel free to punish me for her leaving."

Natsu shrugged. "That's alright Virgo, but guess makes sense her leaving. Well Wends' just me and you in search of Cobra and Nirvana!" he said smiling.

"And I." Virgo interrupted, causing Wendy to giggle.

"Yeah and Virgo." Natsu laughed.

Just as Natsu, Wendy, Virgo and the exceeds were about to leave their spot in search of the last Oración Seis member, Gray entered their surroundings.

"Yo flame brain. Where's Lucy?" Gray asked casually before noticing Wendy's presence. "Oh, hey Wendy, what's up?"

"Sup Frost dick. Lucy found Jellal and went to stop him from going anywhere near Erza, while Wendy and I find Nirvana and that Cobra guy." Natsu explained.

"Sounds like Lucy."

"Lucy got me safe and sound!" Wendy said proudly. "Well I did get cut but Lucy made sure Brain paid for that!"

"Also sounds like Lucy."

"Where's Leon and Sherry, I thought they were with you?" Charle asked.

"We ran into Hibiki who asked for them to follow him for some plan he has. Then he told me where you were so I could find you guys." Gray explained.

Natsu and Wendy looked to each other before nodding, "Alright then! Let's go look for Cobra and Nirvana!" Natsu cheered.

* * *

"Well, well, I understand that you lost your memory." Cobra observed, revealing himself. "No wonder I couldn't hear your thoughts."

Erza grit her teeth. "Damn it, Oración Seis."

"How did you get here?" Erza demanded, turning her attention back to Jellal. "And why did you unseal Nirvana?"

"I heard someone's voice in my sleep..." Jellal muttered. "It told me to get Nirvana... I faintly remembered the magic and this place, but it was enough... this is a dangerous magic. I can't hand it over to anyone. That's why I unsealed it – so that I could destroy it completely."

"You did what now!?" Cobra was aghast.

"Did you say you'll destroy it?" Erza asked, hoping to confirm it.

"I already placed a self-destruct magic circle on it. Nirvana will soon disappear." Jellal motioned to purple lines spreading around the tower rising out of the ground. "Only I know the canceling code."

"You bastard!" Cobra rushed past him and examined the lines frantically. "Dammit! This code-"

"Jellal." Erza stared at him in disbelief.

"It's too complicated." Cobra growled, trying to override it. "Nirvana will be destroyed in no time!" He spun towards Jellal. "Tell me the deactivation code!"

Jellal sighed. "Erza. I remember kindness linked with that name... kindness, brightness and warmth." He coughed up some blood.

"It's very likely that you'll hate me in the future. However, hatred will take away your heart's freedom and destroy you from within." Jellal smirked as a self-destruct circle appeared on his chest. "I cannot allow that."

"Be released from this Jellal." He intoned as he felt his strength fade. "I'll take your hatred and sadness with me."

"This self-sacrificing asshole" Cobra grit his teeth. "He placed a self-destruct circle on himself!"

Erza's eyes widened when the man collapsed. "Jellal!" She cried out, tears streaming down her face at the sight of the man in pain before her.

Cobra watched as she ran over to the man. _He's planning to take the cancellation code to the grave with him._

* * *

Lucy couldn't stop the frown that appeared on her face at the sound of her mate crying over the man who almost killed them. She was just about to hurry to where her mate was but felt herself pause at hearing her mate begin to plead for Jellal to stop. She honestly couldn't understand how Erza could cry over him, when she received such an angry look while attacking Racer.

"I don't understand my mate, Loke." Lucy sighed, slightly heart broken.

Loke put a hand on his princess's shoulder. "Look, no one said love was easy. You just gotta remember to fight for it right? Even Lucifer fought for his mate."

Lucy perked up at her spirits words. Even though it still hurt, she knew Loke was right. Having only known Erza for a short while, the slayer knew it was more than likely going to take longer than a few months for her to truly win Erza over.

"Yeah, you're right! Mate did mention something about wanting porridge."

"Marriage, Princess, she said marriage." Loke sighed, he really needed to talk to Levy about giving his master more tutoring sessions.

* * *

"I cannot let you do this!" Erza screamed, shaking Jellal. "You've committed too many crimes. Don't think you can rest easy without knowing anything! Don't expect for those you've hurt to forgive you! Live, and struggle with all you've done! JELLAL!"

"Erza..." He rasped weakly. "Why are you crying?" He smiled. "You're so kind."

"Pull yourself together, Jellal!"

"What's all this?" Zero asked as he slowly walked in, still injured from earlier. He looked up at the light and the tower within. "A self-destruction circle, how interesting."

"Jellal cast it!" Cobra shouted. "This is bad. At this rate, Nirvana will be destroyed!"

Zero smirked, well more like grimaced. "Relax, Cobra. Y-you should already know why my code name is Brain. My counterpart worked in the Magic Research Bureau once. During that time, I used my knowledge to create several hundred types of magic. One of these just happens to be the self-destruction circle."

He glanced at the weakened man. "I taught it to you, Jellal. Or have you forgotten?"

"Even without the canceling code…" He waved his hand and the circle shattered. "I can easily negate this thing." A detail caught his attention and he frowned. "A circle on yourself too? Did you intend to die with the cancellation code?"

"His memory is damaged by the events regarding Etherion." Cobra explained, smirking. "It appears he forgot he was ever evil."

"Well lucky Jellal" Lucy mumbled while running towards her mate and the man she currently hated with all her being. "Guy doesn't remember almost killing me or Erza so I guess we can just count him innocent of all crimes right Loke?"

Loke chuckled at his master's sarcastic words, "Now, now princess."

"Really now..." Zero burst out laughing, clutching his ribs while doing so. That blonde really did a number on him. "What a pity! In that case, I'll take Nirvana for myself!"

Erza charged at him. "I won't let you!"

"Awaken!" Zero yelled. "Nirvana!"

The ground under them began to quake and crumble.

* * *

Lucy, already feeling the signs of motion sickness, reached out to Loke. "Lo-Loke…help."

Loke sighed at his poor master, such a strong mage, yet so weak on vehicles. He helpfully put Geminis key in his master's hand allowing her to summon the twins.

"Bleurgh, Gemi-We-ndy… spell. Me." she whispered.

"Piri, piri! You got it." In a flash the twin spirits transformed into the little sky dragon and cast Troia on the demon slayer, easily fixing her motion-sickness.

"Lucifer, do I owe Wendy and Gemini my life." Lucy said breathing heavily.

* * *

"I can hear it!" Cobra cheered. "Our future! The sounds of the light collapsing!"

"Jellal!" Erza quickly changed course and sped towards the falling man in hopes of catching his hand. Her eyes began to burn, tears falling upon just missing his hand. " Nooo!"

Her heart dropped at the thought that she had lost her former friend.

While that was happening, six huge pipe-like things began to rise out of the ground all around the forest. With a large rumble and sounds of falling earth everywhere, a huge city-carrying platform supported by six legs stood over the entire area.

"Finally, it's mine! The greatest weapon against the light, the reversal magic, Nirvana!" Brain cackled triumphantly. "The light guilds' strongest weapons, trust, unity... all will be useless from this moment Ahhh-, Cobra get me some pain meds I feel like I'm about to pass out.!"

"On it!"

* * *

"Ugh..." Erza panted as she clutched a wall edge with both arms, slowly trying her best to pull herself up while crying for the loss of Jellal.

"You know when Jello shot a beam through my stomach I didn't see you crying for me this much?" Lucy grumbled, pulling up the knight mage with one arm while holding the blueberry haired man over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Lucy!" Erza shouted.

"Hmm." The slayer grunted towards her mate, not at all looking at the armored mage. Instead she tossed Jellal at her and walked to a far corner of the tall moving building.

While Erza wanted to address Lucy's attitude she knew she had to get rid of the self-destruct circle on Jellal's body.

"Please, Jellal! Cancel the self-destruct circle you put on yourself." She told him. "Even if you're weak, or dark... fight for your life!"

"I..." Jellal looked away. "I couldn't stop Nirvana. It's all over." He sighed.

Lucy rolled her eyes, still pouting. Summoning Gemini she had the spirit turn into the only person who knew how to undo the circle on the self-sacrificing idiot.

"Piri, piri. Excuse us former villain who is hurting our master's feelings. We're here to help you since you think sacrificing yourself is noble but is just cowardly." Gemi-Brain said, quite bluntly.

Jellal and Erza were speechless as Gemi-Brain waved his hand over the former crazed mage, instantly canceling the spell on his body. Lucy and Loke watched, laughing at her spirits words.

"Pfft I love Gemini."

"Err, thank you." Jellal coughed. Gemi-Brain stuck their tongue out at the former dark mage before vanishing.

"Well, then we should probably get back to fighting." Erza pointed out looking at a cloud of smoke moving up one of Nirvana's legs.

* * *

"This is bad." Gray sighed when Natsu began to act sick. "Happy, fly up with him. I'll enter through that hole up ahead.

"Aye, sir!" Happy nodded and picked Natsu up before shooting off.

"Wait, Happy I can help Nat-su." Wendy tried yelling, slumping over when she saw the blue cat was already gone halfway up the moving building.

"I don't know what you were gonna do to help flame brain but you're gonna stay by my side because I already know if something happens to you then Lucy is gonna kill me."

Wendy pouted at being told she couldn't run ahead but nodded her head in understanding.

* * *

"You did it, Zero!" Cobra cheered. "We have Nirvana! This is great, _Cubellios."_

The snake hissed in affirmation.

"Take a look, Cobra," Zero slowly motioned, so as not to upset his injuries, to the city beneath them. "At the world that will unravel beneath us."

"This ancient capital is the true form of Nirvana." Zero explained. "As I am king, by my will this land shall move where I wish it to."

"Move?" Cobra repeated. "Is this thing going somewhere?"

"We can't see our target from here." Zero told him. "That guild..."

"Our first target, huh?"

"We can call it the first land to have lost its light." Zero intoned, swinging his staff in a wide arc and causing a magical control center to appear around them. "Go forth, ancient city! May the light change with my darkness!"

Both men looked up when Natsu shot out of the sky, spitting fire at them. "I'm gonna stop you guys!"

"You..." Zero grit his teeth as Natsu started to tear up the place. "Cobra! Don't let him go wild here!"

"Understood." Cobra nodded. "Now, Cubellios!"

The snake hissed and smashed its tail into Natsu, pushing him back. Happy caught him and both watched as the purple snake sprouted wings.

"The snake is flying!"

Cobra scowled. "I heard that you get sick on vehicles."

"Happy isn't a vehicle!"

"Aye!"

"I see then." Cobra muttered thoughtfully. "That's why you're always flying. You can't stand being on Nirvana."

"Move it!" Natsu ordered him. "I'm going to stop this thing!"

"Try it if you can." Cobra smirked. "I'm not letting you get near Zero. Now come, Dragon Slayer!"

Within seconds Natsu and Happy were zooming past Cobra heading for their actual target Zero.

"My real target is actually him!" Natsu yelled as he and Happy sped past a surprised Cobra. "He's the one controlling this thing!"

"Cubellios!"

Before Natsu and Happy could react the snake's tail was crashing into his midsection and knocking him back.

"I can hear everything." Cobra chuckled. "Your movements, your plans. You can't win."

Natsu glared at the cocky villain.

"That's more like it!" Cobra smirked. "Let's have some fun."

"Cobra." Zero scowled. "Finish him off already."

"Roger!" Cobra grinned. "They'll be a good snack for Cubellios!"

Natsu grit his teeth as Happy dodged the snake. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He swung at the serpent and missed widely, getting hit in the face by the snake's tail as retaliation.

"I said that I can hear your movements." Cobra sighed. "Your attacks won't hit me."

Cubellios barreled into the two and knocked them into the ground harshly. "Now go to hell!"

"Happy!"

"Aye!"

The Exceed quickly picked up the two and righted his flight path, allowing the two to speed away down a city street. As soon as they were out of Cobra's sight, they hid behind a wall allowing them a quick reprieve.

"Here they come!" Natsu grinned, leaping out as he heard the wall nearby crumble. He frowned as the smoke cleared, revealing nothing.

"How many times do I have to tell you I can hear you." Cobra laughed, kicking him from behind.

* * *

"What is this place?" Gray frowned, looking around. "Looks like a city..."

"That's absolutely right. The city of the ancients, Nirvana." Jura announced, standing nearby.

"Shit, Jura you scared the hell out of me! How'd you even get here before us?" Gray asked still partially terrified.

"I ran from where I defeated Hot-Eye as soon as I saw the ominous light in the sky. That led me to here. And you?" Jura asked.

"I ran into Natsu who explained what exactly the Oración Seis is after. From what Hibiki told Lucy this city was once inhabited by some ancient race hundreds of years ago. During that time the world was ravaged by wars though, so this tribe the Nirvits created some ancient power to stop it since they believed in neutrality. Hence what the Oracion Seis are after, Nirvana- some extreme magic that switches the light and the dark."

"While that was very informative, how are we supposed to stop this?" Jura inquired.

Seconds later a bright light appeared, and Gemi-Lucy was right in front of Gray and Jura. "Piri, piri. We know how! We were sent by Lucy to tell you that Zero is controlling this thing from a place called the King's Square! Also, it seems he cannot use magic while he's controlling it, so right now is the best time to attack."

"When Lucy says moving..." Gray frowned. "This thing is headed somewhere?"

"Exactly." A new voice remarked from a building roof. "Only I know what my father is planning."

Gemi-Lucy looked up at him. "Piri-piri, you were supposed to be eliminated already."

Midnight rolled his eyes, "Well obviously I wasn't if I'm standing right here. Which means I will be eliminating you."

"No thanks', we'll be eliminating you." Gemi-Lucy said.

"No, I will! Now shut up and take this!"

Midnight swung his arm. Everyone but Gemi-Lucy gaped as an invisible force sliced though the buildings nearby causing them to fall on the group. Jura prepared them for the impact by activating his earth magic, however upon not feeling any impact he relaxed the rock magic, gawking at the sight before them.

"Wait a sec. Did Gemini really just melt all that?" Gray asked, eyes wide. It seemed that all the debris that was supposed to fall on them all but melted into nothing.

"It seems they did. Just how hot is Lucy's fire." Jura asked, nervously.

Gemini turned to Jura and Gray before answering "Lucy's fire is so hot that she has to make sure she always regulates the temperature before using it otherwise she could burn a building to the ground within seconds."

"Amazing." Jura said, speechless.

"There's no-I mean you gotta be exaggerating a bit, right?" Gray asked slightly scared.

"Piri, piri. Nope. Celestial fire is very hot. Oh, you can head towards the King's Square now." Gemi-Lucy said smiling. "We'll finish this easy!"

Gray and Jura left without another word, knowing that Gemini had everything handled.

"They're leaving a spirit to fight me." Midnight intoned calmly.

"We may be a spirit, but we use our masters magic and she's a god of Ishgar." Gemi-Lucy bragged. "You should be very worried, piri piri."

Midnight rolled his eyes. "Very well."

* * *

"Dammit!" Natsu cursed. "Why can't I hit him?"

"Can he read our movements with magic?"

"You really are stupid, cat." Cobra sighed in exasperation. "How many times do I have to say it? That's exactly what I'm doing _!_ "

"It's a listening magic." He told them. "I can hear what you're thinking, so I know where you'll attack from."

Natsu frowned in concentration. Cobra stood still for a moment, before bursting into cackles.

"Good one!" He crowed. "That one was funny!"

Lucy, who was still standing by her mate, had heard everything the wannabe slayer was telling her best friend and immediately brightened up at the thought of an idea that might be able to help Natsu. "NATSU, HEY NATSU, DON'T THINK!"

Natsu turned to Lucy confused. "What?"

"Yeah, don't think just do! Like instead of thinking of what you're gonna do next...just go for it!" Lucy yelled, sitting on the side and enjoying some celestial food. She really wanted to join Natsu and fight Cobra but felt Natsu wouldn't apricot that.

" _Appreciate Miss Lucy." Capricorn corrected._

" _Semantles." Lucy thought._

Natsu's frown soon turned to a giant grin, it took him a few seconds but eventually he understood Lucy's confusing words. It was really that simple, wasn't it? If Cobra can hear everything he's thinking, then he would just stop thinking.

Cobra's eyes widened when Natsu's left fist slammed into his gut. "Ignite!" The boy shouted, creating a small explosion and knocking Cobra off his snake.

 _This can't be!_ He screamed inwardly as Natsu assaulted him with a series of punches and kicks. _This guy... he's not thinking about anything!_

"This is a first..." Cobra observed, landing on his snake and catching Natsu's last punch. "Guess I can't use a cheap trick on him."

His arm turned scaly and a crimson aura surrounded it. Natsu pulled back with a yell of pain.

"Now I'm serious." Cobra intoned, revealing his dragon-like arm. "Poison Dragon Cobra is here."

"No way..." Natsu grit his teeth, watching as Cobra sprouted a scales along his body. "This guy... he's a dragon slayer?"

"Nah, he's a wannabe slayer!" Lucy heckled.

Cobra rolled his eyes at the blonde heckler before slamming a miasma-covered arm into Natsu's chin. "The strike of a poison dragon decays all that it touches, destroying it from within."

"Ahh!" Natsu yelled, the pain from the poison catching him off guard.

He then blocked Natsu's next punch and kicked him viciously, knocking him several meters down. Cubellios hissed and spat out poisonous mist, which Cobra proceeded to eat.

"He's eating poison?"

"That doesn't sound too healthy..."

Cobra smirked. "Poison Dragon's Roar!"

"Celestial Guardian Shield!"

A huge beam of crimson energy collided with Lucy's golden shield causing Cobra to back up shocked. He never expected the blonde to have such a spell in her arsenal.

"Woo dodged a big bullet there Natsu! You and Happy go on back to fighting that wannabe slayer alright! I'm a keep an eye on my mate and Jello!" Lucy yelled.

"I thought I told you I'm not your mate." Erza sighed, rolling her eyes when she sees Lucy ignoring her to focus on Natsu's fight.

"Alright! Thanks Luce!" Natsu and Happy cheered. Natsu immediately got back on the offense and began attacking Cobra again.

Cobra's eyes widened as he dodged a fiery swing and retaliated with a sucker punch to the jaw.

" Tch, you forget I can still hear your movements." He chanted gleefully. "You're not bad for an old generation Dragon Slayer."

Natsu shook the dizziness away and growled. "Old generation?"

"I am a second-generation Dragon Slayer." Cobra told him. "I obtained my powers by implanting a dragon lacrima into my own body."

"He's like Laxus!" Happy realized. "He's not a real Dragon Slayer!"

"A real Dragon Slayer?" Cobra repeated. "Normally, there's no way for humans to learn dragon slayer magic; it's a skill restricted to dragons themselves. If you ask me, your magic is more questionable than mine." He smirked. "After all, there are no dragons in this world."

"Igneel is out there!" Natsu protested.

"He is not!" Cobra crowed. "The dragons are extinct! Poison Dragon's Twin Fa-ahh!"

Natsu looked from his position to see Lucy standing over Cobras body flames burning bright.

"I'm sorry for taking this fight over Natsu but this guy ticked me off." Lucy growled, turning her back on her friend to face Cobra.

"Now listen here fake dragon slayer, Igneel is out there and so is Lucifer got that! Me and Natsu we're the real deal when it comes to being slayers, you, you're just a discount fake that no one would ever believe is even close to the real thing! And if you even think for a second you may be an autentac dragon slayer- let me tell you YOU'RE VERY WRONG!" Lucy yelled kicking the wannabe slayer in the stomach.

" _Autentac?" Aquarius groaned._

" _Come on even you knew that was too big of a word for her" Loke chuckled._

"Ugh!" Cobra screamed, flying backwards a couple feet. "Natsu and I are gonna find our dads and then we're gonna show you how wrong you are!" Lucy growled.

"Natsu… you really wanna be a strong as me then burn, burn as hot as you can and kick Cobras ass all the way to next week." Lucy said grinning.

Natsu nodded not wanting to let his partner down. "Alright Luce, you got it!"

"It doesn't matter how hot he burns; he'll never get past me! POISON DRAGON FA-"

Lucy turned around, sucker punching Cobra in the stomach. "I'm talking to my partner, so shut the fuck up and wait a sec while Natsu heats up."

Natsu winced at the second gen slayer but listened to his partner. Slowly he felt his body burn hotter and hotter, a surge of power within him began to reveal itself that he had never felt before.

A smirk grew on Natsu's face as he prepared himself "I'm all fired up now! Let's finish this Luce!" Natsu yelled.

"Yeah!"

Cobra watched with wide eyes, fear clear as day, as Natsu shot towards him. _What are they doing, I can't hear their thoughts! No, wait he's going for a punch, yeah, yeah, I can dodge that!_

"Fire Dragon's Iron's Kick!"

"What?!" Cobra yelled as he felt a searing pain erupt in his chest. Tumbling backwards Cobra tried to hurry and get up to prepare his own attack when something collided with him, making it feel as though his entire body was breaking.

"Demon Fire punch!"

 _Where did she come from?" Cobra thought, feeling an unbearable pain brought on by the two slayers._

"Heh" Natsu chuckled. "Looks like you can't hear that good."

"Impossible..." Zero was in shock. "They defeated Cobra by not thinking?"

"Yup!" Natsu yelled, before falling over groaning. "veh-icle." Natsu groaned.

Cobra tried to slowly lift his body up in order to retaliate, falling back down from his injuries. Suddenly a blast of green energy crashed into him, sapping him of his energy and causing the slayer to slowly lose consciousness.

"Zero?" Cobra choked out. "Why..."

"Enough of this embarrassment." Zero sneered. _Weak. I don't need someone like him in the Six Generals... just a fake dragon slayer. What trash. At least I still have Mid..night? They defeated him as well. Eh, not like I really needed any of them._

"Damn you." Cobra's eyes widened as he heard Zero's thoughts. "All I wanted was to hear the voice of my only friend." He reached out towards his snake. "Cubellios..."

Lucy began to burn bright gold, her cloak fluttering in the wind. She felt her fingers begin to dig into her skin as she clenched her fists together, the anger she felt from seeing Zero's betrayal was almost too much for her to hold back her demon side. "He was your ally and you tossed him to the side."

"Ally? He was a means to an end." Zero scoffed.

"That's not true at all!" Natsu growled, struggling to stand up, unfortunately his motion sickness was beginning to overtake him. "He. Trusted yomm."

"You're lower than scum, abandoning a comrade." Lucy whispered.

"Tsk." Zero grinned. "The power of Nirvana will provide me with all the allies I need."

"Dat's not comade." Natsu moaned. "just a mindless Ughh puppest."

"Don't be so hostile. I've taken an interest in both your powers." Zero smirked. "You're both going to be the firsts of my puppet slave."

Lucy's fist tightened at Zero's words. She would never be anyone's' slave; she ran away from that life.

"The hell if I'm letting you have me and Natsu as slaves!" Lucy roared. However just before her fist could connect with Zero, the man vanished with Natsu who was still on the ground groaning from the moving building.

"DAMN IT!" Lucy yelled, pounding a fist into the ground. She only stopped once Erza settled a hand on her shoulder, calming her down.

"Don't worry dumb demon, we'll get Natsu back." Erza said smiling, within seconds Lucy was tossing an arm around her mate smirking at Jellal. The blue haired man confused as to why he was receiving such looks.

"Stop." Erza deadpanned.

* * *

 **Did I just finish another chapter because I want everyone who's quarantined to be entertained...yes, yes I did. I know we're all gonna be bored and despite still having to go to work I want everyone else to have something to pass the time, so please enjoy, comment follow and like. another chapter to follow.**


	28. Final battles, and New beginnings

Meanwhile at Gemini and Midnight's location

"How? How did you defeat me when you're only a spirit?" Midnight groaned.

"We rely on our master's strength, and our master is one of, if not the strongest mage in all of Fiore." Gemini praised.

"You're being...a bit biased. Don't you think?" Midnight rasped.

"Maybe, maybe not piri piri. But Princess has also gone up against hundreds of dark guilds by herself and survived."

Midnight looked at the spirit girl curiously, trying to understand how someone could become so strong. With no forthcoming answer he let himself pass out and finally rest.

"Piri, piri that was fun!"

* * *

"There they are!" Gray shouted as he, Jura, Wendy and Charle, who had met up with the two, caught up to Lucy sticking her tongue out at Jellal while Erza was smacking her face repeatedly. Jellal seemed confused as to why he was getting such treatment and Happy was crying.

"Everyone..." Happy wailed. "Save Natsu! Lucy let him be taken away!"

"Aw, really Lucy that's not cool at all." Gray joked.

"Indeed, no guildmate should ever let their other guildmate be recruited to the dark side." Jura chuckled lightly.

"Shut up Happy! I didn't let Natsu get taken" Lucy growled, her entire being erupting into flames.

"That's it, Aqua, Loke. I'm breaking my promise."

* * *

The group had taken to heading where Gemini told them Zero was controlling Nirvana. Soon they were face to face with the leader of the Oracion Seis and Natsu.

"The Six Generals have lost all of their members." Zero sighed. "Starting today, I will create a new set. Starting with this one."

"I knew it..." Gray shook his head. "Finally getting scouted by a dark guild, eh? He's not just gonna listen to you, you know?"

"Ha, you lost all your guys so if we beat you then we win! This is a cinch!" Lucy cackled.

"Oh, and how are you so sure? Nirvana will surely turn this boy's heart dark and you will soon have to fight your friend." Zero shouted with glee from where he stood triumphantly.

"Like hell I'll let it!" Natsu growled, biting Zero's arm.

"Why you..." Zero scowled, slamming Natsu into the ground.

"Waa..." Natsu moaned, back on the ground.

"He's not feeling too well." Jura observed.

"He gets sick on vehicles." Gray explained.

"Stop? Nirvana?" Zero grinned smugly. "Unlikely. This city will soon be charged and then I will use it for it's true purpose!"

"Tell us your purpose." Jura scowled. "Why are you aiming for Wendy's guild?"

"Bah! You really think I care for Cait Shelter? I could care less for that place. I am aiming bigger! And I'll enjoy watching you try to stop me." Zero smirked with Natsu in his hands. "I'm looking forward to it honestly. I suspect you'll see true hell."

"Hurry up... and beat this guy..." Natsu rasped. "Stop... this thing..."

"You got it Natsu!" Lucy shouted shooting herself towards Zero's position, who then quickly teleported away to another side of Nirvana.

"Nice tr-Ahhh!" Zero groaned as a golden fist retracted from his stomach, causing him to fall over in pain. His already broken body breaking even more. "How?"

"Heh, I'm not a one trick, uh one trick. Loke?" Lucy asked.

"One trick pony princess."

"I'm not a one trick pony princess!" Lucy bragged, causing everyone around her to face palm.

"Oh my god." Erza whispered.

"I will not be def-eated." Zero rasped, "Dark Caprio!"

Lucy quickly dodged the green beam headed her way, pouncing atop the kneeling man she buried a flaming fist in the man's skull. "HELLFIRE PUNCH!"

"Whoa. Lucy, I think you might've actually killed the dude." Gray uttered shocked.

"Nah, he's probably paralyzed but not dead, I held back." Lucy yawned, going to pick up Nastu who was still groaning in pain.

"Lil dragon can you cure Natsu, before he dies of motion sickness?" Lucy said jokingly.

"Okay!" Wendy said happily, already preparing to use her magic on Natsu. She created a light blue glow on her hands and pressed them over Natsu's ears. "Troia."

"Oh?" Natsu shot up in euphoria. "I'm perfectly fine!"

"I'm glad it worked." Wendy smiled.

"It's great!" Natsu cheered. "Teach me that magic, Wendy!"

"It's a sky magic, you won't be able to." Wendy shot his idea down.

Once they all regrouped, they tried to figure out their next move. Despite defeating all Oración Seis members the building was still moving much to their confusion.

Gray scowled. "We still have to stop Nirvana. This room has no controls, so that idea's a bust."

"Stopping it aside, there's something weirder at work here." Charle frowned. "There's nobody here and Zero has been defeated. So why is this thing still moving?"

"An auto-driver, or something?" Lucy mused tiredly.

"The destination must have been set already." Erza answered.

"No way..." Wendy teared up. "Our guild..."

"Don't worry Windy." Lucy reassured her. "It won't harm your guild. After all, I promised I wouldn't let anyone make you sad, so I'm going to stop it. That's for sure!

* * *

Everyone!" A panicked man rushed into the tent-like building that was the Cait Shelter guild hall. "We have a problem! Nirvana is heading this way!"

"What?"

"Did the Allied Forces' operation fail?"

"Master!"

"Nebula..." The old man muttered, pouring himself a glass of sake, before turning and drinking from the bottle instead.

"Eh?"

"Don't drink straight from the bottle like that!"

"Anyway..." Someone started, hoping to address the issue. "Nirvana is heading here."

"Nirvana is heading this way..." Master Roubaul mused, having finished drinking. "Is this fate or just a coincidence, nebula..."

"I hope Wendy is safe..." Someone muttered.

"Yeah..." Someone else agreed. "If something bad happens we won't be of any help."

"Don't worry." Roubaul advised, taking another drink and promptly spilling it. "Lighting magic is still alive! Nebula is shining more than ever!"

"Yeah!"

"Master, let's evacuate!" Someone suggested urgently. "Our barrier won't work on Nirvana!"

"You idiot!" Roubaul roared. "There are people fighting to stop it! If we believe they will prevail, then there is no reason to move from here!"

He sighed and reached for the bottle again. "Never mind... maybe it's just time we paid for our crimes..."

* * *

"Even though we're discussing stopping this thing, we still don't know how." Happy whined.

"How about we crash it?" Natsu suggested. "That'll stop it right?"

Lucy rubbed her chin. " That could work we just gotta-

"Lucy, there is no way we are gonna be able to actually crash something this huge, so both you and Natsu just shut up right now." Erza sighed.

"Well if crashing ain't the answer then how the hell we gonna stop this thing?" Gray asked.

"Why don't we ask Zero?!" Happy yelled.

"Because Lucy killed the guy." Gray deadpanned.

"No, I didn't he's just asleep." Lucy defended, turning to where Zero's body was, double checking he was still de-asleep.

" _We heard that Lucy!" Loke yelled._

" _I said nothing." Lucy chuckled looking away._

"Anyway, we should be-

"Boom!" Before Lucy could finish her sentence, an explosion was heard.

Erza looked around. "What was that explosion right now?"

"It came from the King's Square!" Jellal observed.

"So, you've managed to hurt master?" A new voice intoned. "No matter I will finish what my guild started!"

The group stared in shock at the talking skull-tipped staff.

"That's the staff that Zero's been holding..." Gray muttered. "What's going on?"

Lucy growled, before sending her flame whip at the staff securing it in her hand and slamming it repeatedly into the floor. "Stop this damn city, you stupid stick!"

"Calm down Lucy! You don't even know who that is." Wendy observed.

"I-am-the-eighth-member of-Oración Seis, Klodoa." The staff told them as he continued to get pounded in the floor. "I have awakened form my slumber to eliminate y-"

"Shut up and stop Nirvana before I burn you to ashes!" Lucy shouted, continuing to pummel the ground with the skull.

"The eighth of a group of six?" Natsu mumbled. "So is the name just for theatrics or something?"

"So, we're just accepting the fact that it's a _talking staff_?" Gray asked no one.

Klodoa groaned, trying but failing to pull himself out of Lucy's grip. "Such a violent brat...Let me go already!"

"Not until you stop Nirvana!" Lucy growled heating up her hands to a scorching temperature.

"Never! That guild which is coming into view is our crushing point. Since they possess the power to seal Nirvana away, they must be des-."

"I-DON'T CARE-WHAT-THAT-GUILD CAN DO-YOU-ARE-NOT-GONNA-TOUCH-EM!" Lucy growled ready to snap the stick in half."

Natsu and Gray hissed when Lucy tossed Klodoa into a wall near the control panel shattering one of his glass eyes.

"My eye!" Klodoa screamed.

"There's more where that came from!" Lucy yelled, slightly scaring Natsu and the others.

"Mm, mm " Klodoa whimpered.

"What's the deal, huh? You finally gonna stop this thing?" Lucy grunted.

 _Wait! Perhaps while I have the chance..._ Klodoa mused, hurriedly firing off Nirvana. "Fools! We'll see who has the last laugh now!" The staff cackled about to fly off after shooting off Nirvana.

"Oh no you don't." Loke said grabbing the staff out of the air and tossing it to Lucy who had a feral grin on her face.

"So, you thought you could get away with shooting at my lil dragons guild huh?"

"I'm sorry." Klodoa whimpered.

* * *

The air began to vibrate as Nirvana prepared to fire. Lucy, Natsu, Gray and the others looked on in worry as a giant cannon began to position itself towards Wendy's guild.

"NO!" Wendy screamed. "Lucy, please use your shield to stop the beam!"

Lucy looked at her kin with sad eyes. Even with her shield she could never block such a blast. It broke her heart to see Wendy cry but nothing she could do would stop the beam.

"Lil dragon. I can't."

A large burst of energy shot out of the walking city towards Cait Shelter. Lucy gave a defeated sigh as Klodoa cackled in her hands. Having had enough of the staff she lit her hands and burned the staff to a crisp, no longer wanting to deal with thing that made her lil dragon sad.

The city shook as energy struck it and the beam tilted slightly, shifting and only grazing the top of the building as it shot into the sky. A second barrage of shots crashed into one of Nirvana's legs.

"What in the fu- "

"Language child!" Charle scolded, slapping Lucy on the back of her head.

Lucy bared her teeth at the cat before going back to her original thought "But how did that happen?"

Erza looked up and her eyes widened. "That's... the magical bomber, Christina! With Leon and the others keeping it afloat!"

 _Anyone!_ Hibiki called out. _Can anyone hear me? If you're safe, please respond!_

 _Hibiki!_ Erza called back, while Lucy held a distraught Wendy and tried to calm her down. _This is Erza and the others. We're all fine!_

 _I am just about safe as well..._ Ichiya cut in, still tied to a stick and lying in some random place.

 _Senpai!_ Hibiki sounded elated. _Thank goodness._

"What's going on?" Erza asked. "I thought Christina was taken down."

 _As you can probably see, with the help of Leon's magic and everyone's else combined we were able to keep it afloat. The attack was courtesy of Eve's Snow Magic though._

Charle gaped up in wonder. "All of you..."

"Awesome! You aren't weak after all!" Lucy cheered.

"Whack!"

"Ow what the hell mate?!" Lucy whined.

* * *

"I have never manipulated anything this large before..." Sherry groaned tiredly.

"This..." Ren rasped out, next to her. "This isn't heavy at all..."

"We can do this, just a little more!' Leon yelled.

Inside the ship, Eve was paling. "I combined my magic with the missiles that were on the ship, but I still couldn't destroy even a single leg." He sighed and slumped back. "And after that attack... I'm out of power. I can barely even move."

"However, I'm afraid all of us here are exhausted." Hibiki sighed, hearing Eve and Sherry slump to the floor in a faint. "We won't be able to attack again..."

"Sherry!" Ren reached out to her. "You really push yourself too hard..."

"Don't worry about us!" Hibiki shouted. "Just listen! It took a while, but I managed to find the information we need in my Archive! I know how to stop Nirvana!"

 _Really?_ Erza called out.

"As you've seen, Nirvana has six leg-like structures, right? Well, those legs are actually valves drawing magic from the earth." Hibiki explained. "The lacrima crystals responsible for controlling the absorption process are located at the base of each leg. If you can destroy all six at the same time, Nirvana will stop! However, one at a time won't do. The other lacrima will simply regenerate the lost one."

"I'd like to coordinate the timing..." Hibiki sighed. "But I don't think my telepathy will hold out for that long... I uploaded an exact time into all your heads! I know you can do it. I believe in you!"

"Wait we just gotta destroy the orbs at the same time?" Lucy repeated, "That's easy I can do that by myself!"

Erza and the others looked at the blonde bewildered. There was no way the mage could do such a thing. "Lucy, do you honestly believe you can blow Nirvana up by yourself. I understand your strong but even you have your limits." Erza sighed.

Lucy smiled at her mate "Nah I've absorbed enough celestial energy and Virgo filled me up with a bunch of Celestial food, so this'll be super easy just leave now so you're not caught up in the aftermath."

"Luce come on I know you're strong but-"

"Natsu, I got this."

Natsu and the others stared at Lucy before deciding it was no use arguing with the girl. Once they gathered up all the Oración Seis members, they ran to safety so as not to get hurt. They couldn't believe they were leaving such a dangerous job to Lucy.

* * *

As Lucy began gathering up every ounce of magic she had, she slowly took deep breaths in preparation of the attack she was about to use. "Gemini?"

"Piri, piri yes princess?"

"You ready for that attack?" Lucy said grinning.

"Really we're gonna use that one…here?" Gemini said happily.

"Yup. Gonna need all the power I got to do what I need." Lucy said proudly.

"Alright!"

* * *

"I can't believe we actually left Lucy" Gray said, baffled that Erza would allow them to leave the dense blonde behind.

"I know what you're thinking, and I highly doubt even if we tried to stay Lucy would allow us to. She'd probably sick her spirits on us." Erza sighed.

"You're right about that." Natsu grumbled.

"Lushie's crazy strong, she can do it!" Happy cheered.

Meanwhile Wendy and Charle looked back at Nirvana with worried eyes. Lucy was abnormally strong, they knew that, but that didn't mean she was invincible.

"Lucy…please be careful." Wendy whispered.

Jellal looked to the woman he used to call friend and saw how worried she looked for the blonde who ran off grinning. While he knew this would in no way make up for his past transgressions, he hoped in a way it would be a start. So, before they noticed his absence, he left to join Lucy.

* * *

"Alright and a one a two-

"Wait! Please-wa-wait!" Jellal huffed, out of breath. Lucy looked to the blueberry haired man confused, she had no idea why he ran all the way back to her.

"Whatcha doing back here Jemal? Wanna see the greatest mage destroy this place, yeah don't blame ya." Lucy said smirking.

Jellal rolled his eyes, biting his tongue from making any remark to Lucy. He knew he had no right to anyways. "No actually. Look, while I don't doubt you could destroy Nirvana all by yourself and with just your power alone-

"Damn straight, right Gemini?" Lucy said winking at her spirit.

"Piri piri! Damn straight!" Gemini cheered.

" _Don't corrupt the twins, damn it! And focus on the task at hand!" Aquarius yelled._

Ignoring her spirit, she turned back to Jellal and waited for him to begin speaking again.

"Look, I get that but, I just figured maybe I could be of assistance."

Lucy rubbed her chin in thought. Then turned to Gemini, "Whadda ya think?"

"I don't know, can you really offer anything useful?" Gemini asked.

Jellal began to softly smile at the spirits words, they were quiet intriguing. Then remembering he needed to answer spoke. "You truly are a savior to many Lucy."

"I don't get it?"

"I want to help you by amplifying your slayer magic." Jellal explained.

Gemini and Lucy looked at eachother even more confused than before. They weren't exactly sure how he was going to do that since he used holy magic, but they were willingly to watch him humiliate himself.

"Alright then man go on, just remember even if you do help me I ain't forgiving you for messing with my girl and almost killing me." Lucy growled.

"Heh, I figured." Jellal chuckled weakly. "And I accept those terms, so long as everyone comes out safe. Now then Lucy accept my flames."

Lucy stared at the offered flame. "Yoooo! Gemini look at the flame it's golden just like our flames! Whadda ya think should I eat it?"

"Piri piri! Do it, do it!" Gemini cheered.

"This is the Flame of Rebuke." Jellal told Lucy. "I won't ask for your forgiveness... but I do want you to accept this power. I believe in you. I believe in the woman... who Erza trusts."

"Alright lez go!" Lucy yelled, completely ignoring Jellal's heartfelt words. After eating the golden flames, scorching fire began to surround Lucy. "Whoa! That was some tasty flames, got anymore?!"

"Err. No. Lucy will you please stop Nirvana now?" Jellal requested.

"Eh, oh yeah sure thing. Yo Gemini let's go! Time to use our ultimate magic."

"Stand back Jellal, things are about to get hot." Lucy chuckled.

Jellal looked around to see who Lucy was talking to, face palming when he realized it was him. He just wasn't used to her calling him by his name. Taking cover, the former villain watched as Lucy and her spirit clasped hands.

"Alright Gemini time for one of Lucifer's favorite moves! Ultimate demon slayer secret art: **Exploding Hellfire purgatory!**

Jellal was in awe at the amount of power put in that one move. If he was completely honest, he didn't really believe Lucy would be able to take down Nirvana by herself but now seeing the entire building begin to crumble around them he couldn't help but wonder just how powerful this girl truly was. He knew despite using so much magic she was still holding back.

"Guhu!" Jellal gagged.

"Dumbass, I thought you left!" Lucy yelled as they ran out of the tumbling building.

"Err, well I was-ki-kinda intrigued to see what -you would do." Jellal said.

"That's- Ahhh! Understandable-ahh- Dumbass! Ahhh, we're gonna die!" Lucy screamed, carrying Jellal over her shoulder as she dodged falling debris.

" _Horologium please get those two out of there before she gets killed by falling concrete." Aquarius said, rubbing her forehead and trying to stop her headache._

" _Of course, Aquarius." The clock replied, already having planned on heading out to save his master._

* * *

Outside cheers and shouts of victory erupted as the mages saw a huge explosion occur, followed by Nirvana tipping over, the entire construct crumbling. Erza, Gray and even Jura stared up at the falling building in disbelief. Knowing that it was Lucy who had destroyed the enormous building was frightening. If one person was capable of such a thing just what else could she do.

"Woo go Luce! That's my partner who destroyed Nirvana!" Natsu cheered.

"Yeah Lushie's number 1!" Happy yelled flying in loops.

"Wow, Lucy's so cool." Wendy whispered, with stars in her eyes.

The rest of the light alliance were too busy cheering for the destruction of Nirvana to realize that it was due to one person it was gone.

* * *

"I don't see Lucy-san anywhere." Jura commented, looking around.

"Lucy! Where are you?" Wendy sounded frantic.

"Wait. Where's Jellal?" Erza asked.

"Damn." Gray sat down and leaned against a tree. "What happened to that idiot?"

Erza raised an eyebrow when in the distance she saw something flying through the sky. In a matter of seconds, a giant clock was crashing down right in front of all of them revealing an unconscious Jellal and sickly-looking Lucy."

"Hello everyone. I have returned your comrades. Good day."

"Ughh, need food." Lucy groaned.

"Lucy!" Wendy crashed into her middle causing her to fall while hugging her tightly. "You really did protect it." Tears streamed down the smaller girls' face. "Just like you promised...you destroyed Nirvana and saved my guild. Thank you!"

As if she was never even sick Lucy hopped up smiling hugging the little bluenette back. "Well duh, I'm a celestial mage and I never break my promises. I said I'd keep your guild safe and I did." Lucy said proudly.

Wendy continued to hug Lucy, unsure how else to thank the powerful girl.

"I think we should also be thankful everyone is safe." Jura declared proudly. "Everyone... you did a truly excellent job."

"This marks the end of our operation." Ichiya added, appearing out of nowhere tied to a stick.

Gray ignored Ichiya's random appearance to glance at Jellal. "So, who's that guy? Is he one of the Blue Pegasus guys?"

"That's Jellal." Erza frowned. "But he's not the Jellal from before."

"I want to thank you for your help." Erza smiled, walking up to the withdrawn man.

"Erza..." Jellal sighed. "No... there's no need to thank me."

"Yeah seriously. I mean if anything this barely makes up for what he did." Lucy yawned. "Still a bastard probably but he ain't that bad. Helped me out with taking Nirvana out so that's good but I still don't forgive the bastard for almost ki-uhh." Lucy groaned as she looked to see her mate retracting her metal fist from her stomach.

"Don't think you've won Jellal." Lucy said, shaking her fists, "Mate said that's her way of saying she loves me."

Erza rolled her eyes at her friends' words and continued to speak to Jellal. "What are you going to do now?" Erza asked, leaning against a wall next to him.

"I don't know..." He looked down. "I'm sure that the answer to that won't be easy to find. Furthermore, I'm afraid that my memories will return."

"Well, I'm here for you." Erza told him with certainty. "Even if that hatred was to return, the current you won't vanish."

"I'm HeRE fOr YoU JelLaL." Lucy mimicked. "Whatever I'll still win you over, Scarlet." She mumbled into Natsu and Wendy's shoulders. The two dragon slayers hugging their friend in hopes of lifting her spirit.

* * *

As those in the light alliance began to gain their bearing and prepared to head back to Wendy's group random markings surrounded the entire group trapping them. This did not make Lucy, who was very tired, happy.

"What is this?" Ichiya pressed against a rune wall. "A spell?"

Gray grit his teeth. "We're trapped... when did this happen?"

Wendy was puzzled. "What's going on?"

"There will be no more violence." A new voice announced. "So please refrain from moving for a short while."

"I am the head of the newly reformed Council's 4th Custody Enforcement Unit." The man told them. "My name is-

"Lajar get me the hell outta here or I swear once I'm outta here ima kick all your asses. I'm tired, hungry and I wanna sleep." Lucy grumbled already recognizing the council man.

"Err, uh yes Ishgar Demon of course my apologies. Let the woman out already!" Lahar yelled, not noticing everyone's confused faces at the man's reaction to Lucy's orders.

Within seconds Lucy was released from her cage and already asleep on a makeshift bed Aries had created with her wool. Meanwhile Natsu and the rest were still trapped and stuck listening to Lahar explain how the council got back together.

* * *

"We were reborn in order to enforce laws and justice." Lahar explained. "And because of that we will not forgive any form of misconduct."

"None of us have done anything wrong!" Happy protested.

"Our purpose is to arrest the Oración Seis." Lahar sounded grim. "While we have already collected the others, it seems one of them is among you, correct? Would the man known as Hot-Eye come over here, please?"

The group was confused at why he would think Hot-Eye was with them until Jura shouted for them to stop. Apparently, he had gone to retrieve Hot-Eye when they weren't paying attention.

"Wait!" Jura objected.

"It's alright, Jura." Hot-Eye sighed. "My good nature may have awoken, but that does not erase the sins of my past. In order to start over I must make things right first."

"I see." Jura nodded. "In that case, I shall search for your younger brother in your place."

Hot-Eye was shocked. "Really?"

"Of course." Jura smiled. "First, tell me his name."

"His name is Wally." Hot-Eye told him. "Wally Buchanan."

Erza's eyes widened. "Wally?" She cut in, remembering a not-so-well-rounded man. "I know him!"

Both men turned to her in shock. "What?"

"He's a friend. "Erza smiled fondly. "He's doing well. Last I heard, he was traveling across the continent."

"Sniff..." Hot-Eye began to cry as he fell to his knees. "Even though I am one who only recently turned to the light, it has already granted such a miracle to me?" He sounded disbelieving. "Thank you... thank you!"

"Great." Gray grunted. "Now can you take this barrier down?"

"No." Lahar shook his head. "Our goal was not just Oración Seis. Infiltrating the Council... causing its' destruction... firing Etherion. There is a far greater villain among you." He pointed to the man in question. "Jellal. Come with us! We have authorization to eliminate you if you resist."

"Woo, justice served, ya heard em Jellal get outta here." Lucy yelled having woken up from her nap at the news. She quickly high fived Loke and Virgo who had come out at the news.

"But Lucy-" Wendy began to protest, before Lucy motioned for her to be quiet.

"Lucy please." Erza pleaded, "Surely you don't actually think that? Jellal was possessed!"

"Yeah but I mean he also almost killed me and like that was kind of a drag." She pointed out showing the scar on her stomach.

Everyone's jaws dropped.

"Uh...so may we arrest Jellal now?" Lahar asked in confusion.

As Lucy was about to answer and tell the man yes, she turned to see Erza, who looked sad. And of course, listening to her inner Lucifer she decided to do as said and do whatever it took to make her mate happy.

Sighing Lucy shook her head, "Uh, what a freaking drag. Lajar give me a damn lacrima, I got some people to speak to."

Lahar protested. "But Miss Lucy!"

"Lajar, lacrima now." She ordered.

"Of course." Lahar squeaked.

A few moments later, a yelling match between the council and Lucy, and a rescind of her threat to not help them when needed, Lucy had gotten Jellal out of going to prison. Despite not really wanting to.

"Uh, there Jellal you're free to go, Lahar you can go job well done." Lucy sighed, already feeling a headache from all the work she had to do.

Shocked, Jellal could do nothing but nod as he watched the council guards march off. "Thank you, Lucy."

"Whatever, I didn't do it for you. I did it for my mate." Lucy yawned. "Oh, but I forgot to mention the conditions for your release."

Jellal and Erza looked at the blonde worriedly.

"And those are?"

"Basically, you gotta go around doing community service stuff." Lucy explained.

"Err...I have to what?" Jellal asked.

"What I did for Alakitasia, destroying dark guilds and stuff, you gotta do that." Lucy shrugged. "Best I could do so you wouldn't go to prison."

"Destroy dark guilds and in return I get my freedom." Jellal looked to Lucy with a smile on his face, I can do that."

"Oh, I know you can because see you never had a choice blueberry. I told the council I'd help them whenever they need me so I could get you out of prison. You owe me now, so take this seriously and lessen the work-load for me." Lucy growled.

"Understood, I apologize." Jellal mumbled.

Erza rolled her eyes at her teammates threat. She'll never understand the dense blonde.

* * *

"Fairy Tail. Blue Pegasus. Lamia Scale. And you, Wendy and Charle." Roubaul started, with the rest of Cait Shelter behind him. "Congratulations on defeating Oración Seis and stopping Nirvana. As a member of the local union of guilds I, Roubaul, offer you my thanks."

"You are most welcome, Master Roubaul!" Ichiya exclaimed. "The conflict with Oración Seis was one fierce battle after another! It was not an easy task at all! Yet our bonds of comradeship ultimately led to our victory!"

"Das a lie and you know it! I did all the work!" Lucy whined.

"That's our sensei!" The Trimens cheered.

"He just loves stealing the spotlight..." Gray muttered.

Happy was confused. "Did he even defeat anyone?"

Jura glanced down at Leon and Sherry. "Both of you did great."

"Well, it's all over." Sherry smiled.

"Jura-san..." Leon blinked at the praise.

"I think this calls for a party!" Natsu cheered.

"A party, huh..." Gray smirked, somehow bare from the waist up.

"Heh..." Leon chuckled, standing next to him in the same state of undress.

"Now, friends from Cait Shelter!" Ichiya turned to the group. "Will you join...us..." He trailed off as he noticed the stoic and serious faces they had.

"My friends." Roubaul spoke again. "I must sincerely apologize to you all for concealing the truth of the Nirvit tribe."

"That's why you ruined the mood?"

"Seriously, we don't mind..."

Wendy looked up at him. "I don't mind either, Master."

"Everyone..." Roubaul sighed. "I ask that you listen carefully to what I say next. First, we are not the descendants of the Nirvit Tribe... we _are_ the Nirvit tribe. The man responsible for creating Nirvana 400 years ago... was I."

"Holy shit! That's crazy! Like did you know that Wendy? What about you Natsu?" Lucy asked, in total surprise, not noticing everyone looking at her.

"Nope, not at all!" Natsu said in complete surprise.

"Err, yes well four hundred years ago, in the hope of putting an end to the wars ravaging the world, I created the Reversal Magic, Nirvana." Roubaul explained. "Nirvana became our home and nation, a symbol of peace for many long years. However, a great power will always be opposed... for all the darkness that Nirvana turned into light, it took more and more darkness upon itself."

"It is a matter of balance." He told them. "It was impossible to simply change people's natures from darkness to light. Where there is darkness, there must be light... and the other way around. The darkness that was taken away from Nirvana's targets came to settle on the Nirvit themselves."

Wendy began to tremble. "No..."

Lucy noticing her lil dragon begin to cry wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. Already beginning to understand what was happening.

"It was hell." Roubaul 's voice turned grim. "We fought among ourselves, almost to extinction. In the end, I was the only one to survive." He sighed. "Well, that's not even accurate. My own body perished many years ago. I remain here as just a spirit. In order to atone for my sin, and in hope of finding someone with power I didn't have, who could destroy Nirvana in my stead." He looked over the group. "And now... my task is finally over."

The gathered mages watched in shock as members of Cait Shelter began to vanish into thin air.

"What is this?" Wendy looked around frantically. "Why are you..."

"What's going on here?" Hibiki grit his teeth. "They're all vanishing!"

"No!" Wendy wailed. "You can't! You can't just disappear! Don't leave me like Grandeeney!"

"I must apologize for deceiving you all this time, Wendy." Roubaul lowered his head. "All the members of this guild were just an illusion I created."

"What the what now?!" Lucy shouted. Even she was shocked at what the man was able to do.

"In order to watch over Nirvana, I lived alone in this abandoned village. That was until seven years ago, when a boy came to me, asking me to take care of his friend." Roubaul continued. " Even though I had sworn to live in solitude, I took the girl in and created a guild of illusory companions." Roubaul finished.

"A guild created for the sake of one person..." Lucy's eyes widened. "Damn old man, that's some crazy power you got there! Lucifer would be impressed." Lucy said grinning.

Erza immediately slapped the girl on the back of the head. "Don't act so calm at a time like this you idiot!"

"Just complimenting the old man, damn mate." Lucy mumbled.

"No!" Wendy shook her head tearfully. "I don't want to hear this!"

"Wendy, Charle... you no longer have any need of illusory companions." Roubaul gave a wide smile. "You have found yourselves true companions now!" He smiled, slowly vanishing. "Please take good care of Wendy and Charle."

Wendy fell to her knees crying for her former guild master.

Lucy sighed, rubbing her forehead, this was all too much for her to take, but she knew she had to say something encouraging for her lil dragon. Walking forward and kneeling next to Wendy, Lucy lifted Wendy's chin allowing her to see her goofy smile. "So, like when my mom died, I wanted to disappear. Then when Lucifer left, I thought damn everyone I love just like's leaving me huh?"

Wendy stopped her crying to look at Lucy confused; her words weren't exactly encouraging but she was wondering where she was going with this.

"I guess what I'm tryna say is, when people we really love leave us, it's a real drag." She continued, feeling much more confident in her words once she saw Wendy begin to sit up straight, listening intently. "But like that's where friends and partners come in, they help you, so you don't feel that sad feeling that was like a heavy weight on your back!" Lucy smiled with Natsu, Erza and Gray standing behind the blonde smiling.

"Lucy" Wendy wiped her tears away.

"Come on lil dragon, join Fairy Tail. I promised when we reunited, I'd never leave you again right? Don't let me break that promise." Lucy said grinning, pulling the smaller girl close into a hug.

* * *

"The sea breeze on these ships is really the best..." Natsu gave a blissful smile, running back and forth on the deck. "These vehicles are amazing! right Luce?!"

"The troia will wear off soon you two." Wendy cautioned them.

"I know right! This is awesome and a much better replacement for my pi-blur" Lucy instantly stopped her running around the ship to throw up in a nearby thrash can.

"Wh-why me?"

As if on cue, Natsu collapsed with his cheeks already puffing up. "Oof...c-cast it again, please..." He moaned.

"The effects will last less if it's used too often." Wendy told him, going to help Lucy up.

"Just let them suffer." Erza and Gray chorused.

"Wendy and Charle, you're really joining Fairy Tail, right?" Happy asked the white Exceed.

"I'm only coming because Wendy said so." Charle huffed.

"I'm so excited!" Wendy cheered. "I can't wait to join Lucy's guild!"

"I can't wait to have you join my guild! Just wait till I show off my lil dragon to everyone!" Lucy bragged.

* * *

"My name is Wendy, and this is Charle." Wendy bowed to the guild members. "I'm the Sky Dragon Slayer. Please take care of us!"

She looked around at the stunned faces and sighed. "I guess they don't believe me."

"Hey, applaud for my lil dragon right now or else!" Lucy growled releasing her flames. Instantly everyone began applauding.

"Sorry Lucy, we were just shocked to have another slayer in the guild!" Cana chuckled nervously.

"That's awesome!" Max yelled, as others began surrounding Wendy asking about her magic.

"She's a Dragon Slayer!"

"That's so cool!"

"With Natsu, and Gajeel, that makes three Dragon Slayers now!"

"Hey what about me?! I'm a demon slayer and I could take you all down if I wanted!" Lucy growled.

"So, three dragon and one demon slayers?" Macao said.

"Holy shit, we really are the strongest guild!" Wakaba shouted.

"And now that everyone's back..." Cana raised a hand towards the ceiling. "Let's party!"

"It's a welcoming party for Wendy and Charle!" Makarov cheered. "Let's show them the spirit of Fairy Tail!"

"This place sure is fun, right, Charle?" Wendy looked around at the partying mages in amazement.

"It's too noisy." Charle sighed.

Mystogan stared down at Wendy from the second floor for a moment, before wordlessly turning away and dissipating into mist.

Lucy turned around to stare at the second floor of the guild once she felt eyes on her a lil' dragon but at the sight of no one around she went back to paying attention to her smaller best friend.

"Prolly nothing." She thought.

* * *

"So, you're leaving?" Erza asked, looking at her former friend readying their bag to leave Fairy Tail.

Jellal looked at Erza then the blonde glaring behind her, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Yes, I need to start my journey and fulfill my promise to Lucy and the council. I'll visit when I can."

"I'd appreciate that." Erza said smiling.

"But it's not really necessary you know?" Lucy said tossing an arm around Erza, who rolled her eyes, and smiled apologetically to the other mage. "I'll keep Erza safe and sound so just focus on your task got it, good."

Jellal pulled at his collar, and chuckled. "of course, my apologies. Well then until the next time we meet everyone."

Erza and the rest of Team Natsu watched as Jellal left their guild, onto his next journey.

* * *

"Hey, anyone know where Lucy is? she's been missing for like a week." Natsu asked, Erza right behind him also curious as to where Lucy was.

Mira turned to the worried dragon slayer and knight mage before answering. "Oh, she actually went on a mission with Wendy, said it was to make up for lost time. They should actually be back right about now."

"Boom!"

"Man, Windy you were amazing! Like when you tossed that guy back with the wind and then flew down with Charle!" Lucy gushed. "I can't believe how strong you've gotten!"

Wendy continued to blush at the praise she was receiving from her idol. "It was nothing, I mean I just remembered to train like you said."

"Damn straight you have!" Lucy cheered hugging the smaller girl, causing the entire guild to coo at the two. Seeing such a strong mage coddle a little girl was such a rare and adorable sight, they couldn't help but take it in. Erza couldn't help but find the sight adorable.

"So ya decided where ya gonna live yet?" Lucy asked Wendy.

"How could have the child done that when you took her on a mission as soon as she got her guild mark you idiot!" Charle yelled.

"Shaddup cat, I was just asking!" Lucy yelled.

"Err, well I was thinking about the dorms, since everyone lives there." Wendy said nervously hoping to stop her friends from fighting.

"That's a good choice!" Lucy yelled, "My mate lives there so you'll be well protected. And plus, she lets me sleep over all the time, so I'll see you too!"

"That's great!" Wendy said, happy at the thought.

"I do not, you break in when I'm asleep and spoon me!" Erza blurted out turning bright red at her confession.

"Semantles."

"I'll kill you."

* * *

"Everyone!" A random mage ran into the guild. "There's trouble!"

Wendy looked up when bells began to ring around the city. "What's that?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm gonna get to fight someone strong?" Lucy smirked, standing next to her.

"That sound..." Gray's face lit up. "It couldn't be?"

"It is!" Natsu was ecstatic. "Gildarts has come back!"

"Gildarts back huh?" Lucy mumbled to herself. "I think I'm finally gonna get to have a fun fight." Lucy said smiling.

* * *

 **And so comes an end to the Oracion Seis arc and onwards to the next! Thank you to all those who were patient for my hiatus and continue to support my work. Please comment, follow, like.**


	29. Gildarts Arrival and Edolas

Wendy looked up at Lucy who seemed a bit too excited at the name said.

"Who's Gildarts, Lucy?"

"Hmm, well I'll be honest I only ever met him once while in a pub, but as soon as I saw him, I could sense he was super strong. I really wanted to fight him but at that time was when I got injured on my back so 'stead we settled for a drink together and a debate on who was the hottest girl in the pub." Lucy explained, much to Erza's ire.

"Oh...that sounds-"

"like something you should not be mentioning to Wendy!" Charle yelled. Lucy rolled her eyes at the white cat lecturing her but agreed once Aquarius came out and yelled at her for the same thing.

"Don't teach that little angel to be a dumbass like you, got it!" Aquarius yelled, smacking Lucy on the back of her head.

"Yeah, M'sorry." Lucy mumbled.

Wendy on the other hand had forgotten all about what Lucy had mentioned and looked excited. "Wow, it looks like a festival, right, Charle?"

"Hmm, indeed. And all for one person?" Charle muttered.

"There is a reason for celebration." Mira smiled, walking up to them. "After all, it has been three years since he left."

"Three years? What was he doing?" Wendy asked curiously.

"If I remember right, he was looking for a girl to have a fun night wi-." Lucy began to say but immediately shut up at the demonic look she began receiving from Mira, Erza, Aquarius and for some reason even Cana.

"Wendy ignore anything Lucy says from now on." Levy explained.

"Uh, okay."

"As I was saying, Gildarts was gone because of a job he was on. The guild has S-rank jobs, and then there are SS-rank jobs, even harder than those are the ten-year jobs, named those because nobody has succeeded in completing them in ten years."

"I besh me and Natshu coulds do ish!" Lucy mumbled through her fire meat that Mira had shoved at her to keep quiet.

"Hell yeah, we could!" Natsu cheered. The girls looked at Lucy and Natsu before turning around uninterested in the slobs. Going back to her speech Mira continued explaining the guilds mission ranks.

"Anyways, the truly incredible thing is... Gildarts is returning from a hundred-year quest."

Wendy's jaw dropped. "You mean... he went on a job no one could finish during the last century?"

"Whoa! Natsu, Gray let's go on a hundred-year quest right now!" Lucy yelled.

"Hell yeah, let's go!" Natsu yelled.

"No way I'm letting flame brain show me up! I'm in!" Gray cheered smirking.

Lucy immediately went to run up the second floor to grab a hundred-year quest when a giant fist slammed onto her head. However instead of slamming Lucy into the ground, the blonde stood firmly in place with the fist on her head confused as to why Makarov would hit her. Makarov looked at Lucy surprised when she continued to stand tall, completely unaffected by his giant hand, instead looking annoyed.

"Yo old man, what's the big idea?" Lucy tsked. "I wanna go on one of those cool quests with Gray and Natsu, oh and Windy if she wants to come."

Makarov sighed, feeling an oncoming headache. "Lucy, you aren't s-class you can't go up to the second floor for one of these quests."

Lucy stared at her master then the rest of the guild members to see if he was indeed telling the truth. "Tch, what's the point of being a god if I can't even go on cool quests. Sorry guys, we can't go." She sighed.

Meanwhile Natsu and Gray were stopped from getting over excited by Erza's metal fists to the face. Their excitement was reignited when alarms began to ring.

"Come outside with us Wendy. There's something you should see."

Wendy stepped outside and watched in awe as buildings rose and shifted around the city, leaving a wide straight path leading from the edge of the city all the way to the Fairy Tail guild hall. "N-no way!"

"That's Magnolia's Gildarts Shift." Mira giggled. "Gildarts uses magic that can smash anything he touches into pieces. Since his mind drifts a lot, there's been cases of him walking through people's houses without noticing. That's why they restructured the town."

"Hahaha, I thought when he said he can smash anything he touches he meant...you know." Lucy chuckled to Levy, who immediately turned bright red.

"Wow!" Wendy said wide-eyed, just missing Lucy's lewd comment. However, it did not seem to go unnoticed by Cana and the others who were taking turns using their magic on the girl to beat her up. "Isn't it amazing, Charle?"

"Yeah... amazingly stupid."

"Why's everyone...att-attacking me!" Lucy yelled as she ran from the girls.

Natsu grinned when a figure became visible, making its' way down the road. "There he is Lucy! Luce?" Natsu called, face dropping when he saw his best friend getting beat up by the guild's woman.

"Uh do I wanna ask?"

"Not if you wanna live." Loke chuckled.

"Don't worry those attacks are like tickles for the brat, she's just playing along for the girls." Aquarius sighed.

* * *

A tall, scruffy-looking man in a tattered cloak finally came into view. As the gathered mages watched, he yawned and gave a grumpy sigh.

"Gildarts!" Natsu shouted as the man approached them. "Fight me!"

"Nah that bastards gonna fight me!'" Lucy said from her spot on the ground where she was hog tied.

Mira smiled. "Welcome back!"

"Mh." The man grunted, missing out Lucy's name calling. "Miss, I'm pretty sure a guild called Fairy Tail was somewhere around here..."

"This is it!" Mira laughed. "And I'm Mirajane!"

"Mira?" Gildarts tilted his head, before his eyes widened and he looked around excitedly. "You look so different! And our guild has been completely renewed!"

"Gildarts!" Natsu charged forward.

"Oh, Natsu!" The man smirked. "Long time no see!"

"I said fight with me!"

"Maybe next time." Gildarts laughed, casually swinging an arm and knocking Natsu into the ceiling.

"Yo! Arts-fight me!" Lucy yelled, smirking.

Gildarts turned to the blonde on the ground still hog tied. "…Holy shit, it's my drinking buddy! Ishgar freaking demon! You actually joined a guild, I thought you were planning on staying in the west for a while?"

"Eh, Loke changed my mind and look now I'm Natsu's partner!" Lucy said smiling, freeing herself from her ties, much to the girls' surprise. "So, we gonna fight or not?"

Gildarts' eyes widened, before bellowing a laugh. "Well, I did promise you the next time we meet I'd give you a proper fight. That injury ever heal up?"

"Sure did!" Lucy said grinning dopily.

"Alright then let's meet up in say an hour, so I can rest, oh and congrats Natsu you got yourself one strong mage for a partner."

"Don't I know it!" Natsu bragged, before frowning. "Aww man, why does Lucy get to fight you but not me!"

"Because flame brain, you're still leagues behind the two. Lucy's the third wizard saint and Gildarts is Gildarts." Gray explained.

Natsu frowned at his frenemy's words, begrudgingly accepting them. Even he had to agree Lucy was freakishly strong, and Gildarts, well Gildarts was as Gray said Gildarts.

"One hour it is!" Lucy chuckled.

"Hold up Gildarts! How did your mission go?" Gray shouted, wanting to hear about his friends' adventure.

Gildarts burst into loud laughter. "Sorry everyone, but you're not gonna hear anything cool from me. It was too difficult."

Jaws dropped. Everyone was shocked at Gildarts, possibly the strongest mage of Fairy Tail, after Lucy that is, admit that he was unable to complete the quest. Lucy meanwhile took advantage of everyone's shock to steal a kiss from Erza.

"What?"

"No way!"

"Dumb demon!" Erza growled, punching the blonde into the ground.

"Even Gildarts couldn't do it."

"Wow, everyone said you were super strong but if you can't finish it maybe you won't be much of a challenge for me?" Lucy sighed in disappointment from her spot on the ground.

Gildarts chuckled at the blonde's bluntness, having already encountered her before he knew that this was just how she was.

"Cool your jets now Ishgar Demon, don't go writing me off yet." Gildarts chuckled.

Wendy was shocked. "If he couldn't handle a hundred-year mission... what on Earth is that quest?"

"I see, even you could not handle this quest. " Makarov sighed.

"Yeah..." Gildarts said, "You trusted me to handle it. Sorry for staining Fairy Tail's name, old man."

"No sweat Gildarts! Just give that quest to me and I'll handle it." Lucy said with her signature toothy smile.

"Lucy, please stop." Erza begged.

"The toll is one kiss."

"Go away."

"Two kisses now."

"I will give you no kisses and that is final." Erza said.

"Five kisses and I touch your boob!" Lucy said, smiling.

"What-No!" Erza said flustered. "One kiss and that's it!"

"Heh, gotcha." Lucy snickered. "Deal!"

Erza sighed happy to be done with the bargaining, before her eyes widened in realization at what just happened. "Damn it!"

"No take backs!" Lucy laughed.

"Oooh, Lucy's good." Gray nodded impressed.

"Yeah, didn't see that coming." Alzack said.

* * *

As the rest of the guild watched Erza and Lucy negotiate the toll for Lucy to be quiet, Makarov went back to talking with Gildarts about his quest.

"No... it's good enough that you came back alive." Makarov told him. "As far as I know, you're the only person who even survived coming back from it."

"Yeah, well I'm going home. I need a rest before my fight with Ishgar Demon here." Gildarts said, looking up at the wooden ceiling. "Yo Natsu. Come by my place later, I've got something for you."

"'Arts, wait, mind if I come down too?" Lucy asked. "I got a couple of questions for you about this quest you were on."

"Huh...yeah sure." Gildarts shrugged.

Natsu turned to look at Lucy in surprise. Mostly because he wanted to know what type of questions she had to ask him.

"Well then..." He turned heading for a wall, breaking it down as he passed through. "Later."

"Use the door!"

"Oh wait!" He spoke, turning around breaking down another wall. "I almost forgot."

"What?" Makarov cried, at all the destruction caused.

"When did that happen?" Gildarts asked, pointing to the couple in the back kissing."

"Who Lucy and Erza?" Natsu asked. "That's been going on awhile."

"Shut up, no it hasn't!" Erza yelled, finally breaking away from Lucy's kiss. The latter who was smiling goofily.

"Hahaha finally found your mate have ya Ishgar Demon. Niiice." Gildarts winked, "Anyways I'm out." He waved breaking down another wall.

"Enough already!" Makarov cried.

* * *

"What do you think he got me?" Natsu asked Happy and Lucy. "Maybe it's some rare flame from a foreign country?"

"That'd be awesome! You know in Bosco they sell rocks that taste like certain elements. Maybe he got you one of those!" Lucy said excitedly.

"No way, I hope he did."

"Yo, Gildarts." He swung the door to Gildarts' shack open. "We're here. Thanks for inviting us!"

"Oh." Gildarts turned to them. "Welcome, Natsu, Happy and Ishgar Demon."

"Call me Lucy."

"Lucy it is." Gildarts said nodding. "Hey Natsu, so tell me..." His tone turned teasing. "How's your relationship with Lisanna going?"

"Huh?"

"Don't be shy just because Lucy is here!" Gildarts laughed. "If anything, she can give you some advice on with the romance front, right Lucy?"

"Got that right 'Arts." Lucy said winking.

"So, come on, you can tell me."

Natsu scowled at his friends' words. "Lisanna died, two years ago in fact."

Gildarts paled. "S-seriously? I see..." He sounded shocked. "Damn. That's why Mira... Whoa. I'm sorry, Natsu."

"Oh man Natsu, I'm sorry I didn't know!" Lucy said bowing.

Natsu turned to leave. "If that's all you wanted from me, I'll be going."

"Natsu..." Gildarts motioned for him to wait. "You'll want to hear this. During the mission, I met a dragon."

Natsu broke out in a cold sweat. "What?"

"WHAT!" Lucy screamed, excited for her friend. "Was it Igneel?"

"Nah, I don't think it's the one Natsu told me about..." Gildarts sighed. "This one was black."

"Wait…black?" Lucy said, tone changing to a more serious one.

"Where?" Natsu choked out.

"At the sacred mountain Zonia." Gildarts told him. "It's the reason I failed this mission, dammit."

Natsu grit his teeth and rushed towards the door.

"What do you think you'll accomplish by going there?" Gildarts asked.

"I'll ask where Igneel is, of course!" Natsu snarled.

"That black dragon won't be there." Gildarts observed. "It's flying around the continent, maybe even the entire world..."

"I knew it." Lucy said, her expression darkening. "The scent on you, it's the same."

"What, Luce what are you talking about?" Natsu yelled. "Look I need to go, there might still be some clue there!"

"Natsu, look at this." Gildarts unclasped his cloak and swept it sideways. Natsu gaped in fear at Gildarts' bandaged stomach and prosthetic arm and leg.

"Everything happened in a mere moment." Gildarts scowled. "It got my arm and leg, and a kidney too. I don't know about Igneel, but that black one... it is surely an enemy of humanity. And a human can't beat it."

"T-that's..." Natsu grit his teeth. "That's what Dragon Slayers are there for! With my magic, a black dragon is..."

"No Natsu, what Gildarts is saying is true. Which reminds me of why I came here. Now that I've heard the full story, tell me was there blue markings surrounding this dragon?" Lucy asked surprisingly serious.

"Uh yeah, why?" Gildarts replied.

"Because I can smell the scent of that dragon on you and it's the same scent of the man I encountered who attacked me and gave me the injury I told you about back when we first met." Lucy explained, unabashedly stripping off her shirt to reveal the gashes on her back. Gildarts jaw dropped, not at the half nakedness, but the three slashes on the girls back.

"Wait…that dragon was the thing you went up against and you still survived!" Gildarts said in awe. Despite seeing the gruesome scars on the younger girls back he knew she got off extremely lucky compared to him.

"No, I went up against his human half and survived. I thank my spirits every day I had them there with me," Lucy said before turning to Natsu. "Gildarts is right, you don't stand a chance against that dragon Natsu, and it's not because your weak, it's because that dragon is a monster on an entirely different level from you, Gildarts and even I." Lucy finished.

"Lucy's right, Natsu. Look at me. I lost significant parts of my body. The Third wouldn't stand a chance, I didn't stand a chance, and Lucy barely made it out. But if you insist on going, I won't stop you."

"I will, though!" Lucy yelled as Natsu made for the door.

"Dammit!" Natsu cursed, running out the door.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted, racing after him.

"Lucy." Gildarts smiled at the blonde partner of Natsu. "You're Natsu's partner, right? A human can't go up against that thing, but a demon and a dragon combined might make it. Perhaps one day, you and Natsu could."

Lucy turned to Gildarts and nodded. She only hoped the two of them would make it out.

* * *

"I don't know but having so many slayers in the guild seems a little too good to be true don't ya think?" Gray said.

"Nah, you're just paranoid." Cana chuckled.

Makarov couldn't help but agree with his child's sentiment.

"I believe fate is about to make its' move." Makarov said more to himself than anyone else.

* * *

"Shit!" Natsu sped along the riverbank. "Dammit!"

He cried out when he tripped and rolled down into the river. Sighing weakly, he looked up at the clear sky.

"Igneel." He muttered. "Give me a sign that you're still out there."

When no sign was forthcoming Natsu couldn't help but cry.

* * *

Alright then the fight today is between Gildarts Clive and Lucy "Ishgar Demon Heartfilia!"

"Rules are no killing, no permanent damage, body shots are fine, no head shots, keep the damage to a minimum." Makarov explained.

Lucy and Gildarts nodded, turning to one another with a smirk on their face. This fight was definitely gonna be one to remember.

" !"

Lucy gave a devilish grin to the s-class mage in front of her. For the first time in a while she felt like she would finally fight someone fun.

" _Loke…this is gonna be one fun fight."_

" _Calm down princess."_

* * *

"I don't like the look on Gildarts and Lucy's faces right now." Levy said. Lucy and Gildarts were both smirking at each other, releasing immense waves of magic. It scared even the master.

"Crush!"

"Crush!"

"What the hell?" Gildarts eyes widened as a copy of him yelled the exact same spell.

Lucy smirked at the s-class mages shocked face. She knew using Gemini to attack him with his own magic would throw him off. She took advantage of Gildarts surprise and did her own attack.

"Celestial Hellfire punch!"

"Guess taking it easy was never an option." Gildarts chuckled as he broke Lucy's magic up much to the wizard saints dismay.

"Yup, we're going all out 'arts." Lucy grinned devilishly.

"Aright then let's go! All Crush!"

"Hahahahaha, alright this is fun!" Lucy yelled, using her flames to counteract Gildarts magic.

"Now, Scorpio!" Lucy yelled.

"We are! Sand blast!"

Gildarts quickly shut his eyes blocking the oncoming sand, however that proved to be his downfall as a powerful punch sent him flying back.

"Nice one Loke!"

"Anytime princess." Loke smiled, appearing beside Scorpio.

"Damn, I guess it's true what they say about your spirits being just as powerful as you." Gildarts chuckled. "But how about we make this fight just between the two of us."

Lucy grinned at the mage before her, releasing an immense amount of magic pressure that instantly made Gildarts regret his words.

"Heh, well if that's how you feel then, sorry guys guess I'll be continuing this without you." Lucy chuckled.

Loke smirked at the blonde before disappearing, Scorpio fist pumped his master following Loke close by.

"We are! Take em' down Lucy!"

* * *

"Damn, even Gildarts is having a hard time against Lucy." Gray said, shocked.

"Of course he is, Lucy didn't earn her title for nothing." Levy explained. "Her strength outweighs all of ours."

"Woo, go Lucy!" Natsu cheered, alongside Happy.

"Oh my, these two sure are making a mess." Mira tsked.

* * *

"Lightning Celestial Demon Fire Rage!" Scorching flames slowly engulfed her body with lightning imbued. Once she felt charged up enough, she then slammed her arms together releasing a swirl of golden flames, a giant heat wave shooting across those watching, straight towards Gildarts, combined with her flames was a flurry of lightning. The speed at which it was released was almost too fast for the S-class mage. Almost.

"Crushing Evil, Empyrean!" Gildarts yelled, eyes widening when he got pushed back by the force of the spell. He had countered it, and yet still felt the aftershock of that amount of power. This girl was truly a demon.

Lucy smiled widely at the sight of her spell getting negated. Only getting happier as she got tossed back through the guild and landing roughly atop the bar counter.

"That actually hurt. THAT ACTUALLY HURT!" Lucy cheered.

* * *

"Is Lucy actually happy that she got hurt from Gildarts attack?" Cana asked.

"Yes?" Mira answered hesitantly.

"I SAID DAMAGE TO A MINIMUM YOU BRATS!" Master yelled.

"Princess has only ever been truly challenged by the other Gods of Ishgar and that dragon man. She enjoys fighting strong people because then it helps her become stronger." Virgo said after popping up and scaring everyone.

"But…didn't she face like crazy strong guilds in Alvarez?" Gray asked.

"Yes, and she did struggle, but those struggles helped her grow and become stronger. Eventually she never felt as if she was being truly challenged." Loke sighed. "Not even with Jellal did she ever think of him as a challenge. Gildarts though, his magic is interesting." Loke explained.

Erza couldn't help but interrupt Loke, "Wait...Lucy didn't see Jellal as a struggle? But she had to use her second origin just to beat him."

"Oh, that was only because she had to use her celestial shield to protect the tower from getting hit by the Etherion." Loke said nonchalantly. "Lucy has been through far worse than Jellal, in all honesty."

"Dumb brat likes to drag out fights when she doesn't need too." Aquarius growls.

"Indeed, but it makes sense Gildarts being able to somewhat keep up with Miss Lucy. His magic levels may even surpass your guild master." Capricorn said smiling at his master look so happy while fighting.

Those listening in, faces dropped at the spirits words.

* * *

By now Lucy was feeling a rush from how fun this fight was, despite numerous hits being made neither side seemed to want to give up and that only made Lucy even happier about asking for this fight. No one ever lasted this long in a fight against her.

However, Gildarts was another story, keeping up with the Ishgar Demon was quite tiresome. He had to admit this girl was proving to be a challenge.

"This has been fun 'Arts but I'm hungry now so let's finish this." Lucy grinned.

"I agree, I wanna beer so let's end it and see who's really the strongest one." Gildarts chuckled.

"Heavens Celestial-

"Crushing Evil-"

"Flaming Purgatory!" Lucy roared.

"Absolute Heaven!" Gildarts yelled.

"Boom!" The guild members looked around at the devastation that was supposed to be the training grounds but was now just a giant hole made by Gildarts and Lucy.

"Lucy! Gildarts, damnit!" Master yelled. "Where are you?!"

Lucy popped up from the hole she was in smiling, the only sign she was injured was the soot on her face. She had to admit that fight was extremely fun.

"Over here old man! But I got no idea where's Arts is."

"He's over here!" Cana yelled trying to wake up the unconscious man hanging upside down from a nearby tree.

"He's still alive so that's good." Wendy smiled, as she slowly healed him.

"Woo, that was a fun fight! He almost had me there!" Lucy cheered, high fiving her spirits who could only chuckle at their idiot master.

Erza, Gray and a few others turned to see Lucy smiling, shock seen on their face at the fact Gildarts was close to taking Lucy down. Then again, she wasn't utilizing her spirits.

The rest of the guild could only gawk at their ruined training grounds and new window in the back of the guild.

"Alright then, food time!" Lucy yelled, heading for the now ruined bar. "Oh, and Loke make a note we gotta train more."

"You got it princess." Loke said before disappearing to write up a new training regime with Capricorn.

Mira felt a tick mark appear on her forehead as the dense blonde sat on a broken seat awaiting her food.

Everyone bravely backed up as Mira transformed to her demon form and within seconds was shooting a black sphere at Lucy.

"Soul Extinctor."

Lucy, dense as she was could still sense the demonic energy heading her way at a high rate of speed and to stop it, she simply turned around sucking it all up. Once she had finished eating the entire beam coming at her she turned to Mira smiling at the take-over mage.

"Man, thanks a lot for that Mira! That was delicious! I don't even need anything else to eat now. Yeah, ya know what I'm just take a nap." Lucy said yawning. She then headed for the back of the guild where she plopped her body on a table to sleep.

"What, what just happened?" Mira asked.

"You forgot Lucy was a demon slayer and eats your type of magic for breakfast. Literally." Gray deadpanned.

"And now Lucy is taking a nap", Levy sighed, doing a double take when she sees Erza trying to escape the blondes grasp.

"How the hell did I end up in her arms?!" Erza yelled.

* * *

A few hours later, and Gemi-Ultear offering up their assistance to fix the guild, everything had pretty much gone back to normal. Lucy had even woken up from her nap and released Erza, who had given up trying to escape and was instead sitting on Lucy's lap while eating her tenth slice of cheesecake, on the dumb demon's tab.

Erza as usual had told Lucy not to look to into it, before going back to eating.

"Man isn't it a crazy coindent that Windy's dragon and Natsu's dragon disappeared on The 7th of July, year X777?" Lucy said.

"Oi, don't forget my dragon disappeared then too!" Gajeel growled.

"Who are you again?" Lucy asked.

"I hate you."

"Getting back on track- "

"When were we off, mate?" Lucy asked, tightening her hold on Erza. "Wait no, when were we on a track?"

"I will allow one sleep over if you stay quiet for more than five minutes and release me from your grasp" Erza bargained.

"Done!" Lucy smiled, zipping her mouth closed, leaving her mate to get something to eat. In a flash Mira was serving the girl a huge plate of fire meat alongside a beer.

"Anyways, it truly does seem like a coindent that everyone's' drag-damn it Lucy now you have me saying coindent!"

Lucy turned to Erza with a goofy smile on her face, and greasy meat smothered all over her face. She shot her a quick thumbs up in approval at her mate's vocabulary use before going back to eating so as not to break her silent vow.

* * *

"You see, she just used another word which she still doesn't understand isn't real, so if you'd please teach her it's coincidence and not coindent." Aquarius explained, while offering up a wad of jewels to Levy. "We'd be in your debt."

The smaller girl was excited/hesitant to take on the burden.

* * *

"Look, it just seems a bit weird that everyone's dragons disappeared on that day, and year. Not to mention Lucy met a demon around the same time. Somethings not adding up?" Gray said.

Wendy nodded shyly. "Things, um, things do seem to be a little weird when you say it like that I guess."

"What are you talking about? Me and Luce meeting up was just random. Facts, he even said he was passing through to go destroy some messed up guild tryna revive demons from paper or was it a pamphlet?" Lucy tried remembering.

Gray, Erza and Wendy stared at the blonde in shock to hear of such news. A guild trying to revive demons overall was scary.

"Did you know about the pamphlet?" Loke asked.

"Oh my god, it was a book, not a pamphlet!" Aquarius screamed, rubbing her temples to rid herself of her oncoming headache. "And yeah, but the damn demon put that quest on hold when he found the brat over there." Pointing to Lucy who was challenging Cana to a drinking contest.

"To be honest when I asked when we were gonna go after that guild since that seemed like something up his and Lucy's alley, all he said was "in due time"." Aquarius said cryptically. She still didn't understand what he meant by those words and wasn't sure if she ever would.

In time, as Lucifer said, she would.

* * *

"Charle!" Happy ran over with a fish wrapped in a ribbon. "This is a fish I caught. I thought I could give it to you, Charle."

Charle turned her nose up at him. "I don't want it. I don't like fish."

"Oh?" Happy kept trying. "Then what do you like? Next time I'll-"

"Shut up!" Charle shouted. "Just stay away from me!" She ordered Happy, jumping off the table and walking away.

"Charle!" Wendy shouted after her. "Don't you think you're being too mean?"

 _Happy... yeah, right._ Charle grit her teeth. _He's completely clueless..._

"Charle!" Happy ran after her. "Wait!"

"Damn, see that's why Charles's still single. She's so eh." Lucy bragged. "Me, on the other hand, I accept anyone because I don't dis-descry-I like everyone." Lucy smiled.

Erza rubbed her face tiredly. "Dumb demon."

"Mate!" Lucy saluted.

Wendy sighed. "I wonder why Charles's so cold to him..."

* * *

"Charle!" Happy wailed. "Charle!"

"What do you want?" Charle scowled. "I told you to stay away from me, didn't I?"

"Did..." Happy looked down. "Did I do something wrong?"

"That's not it at all." Charle told him. "You can't protect Natsu."

"Eh?"

"I protect Wendy." Charle turned away from him. "I will protect her no matter what."

"I... I can protect Natsu too!" Happy shouted after her. "Natsu said I'm his ally!"

"You can't." Charle countered, as clouds began to gather over Magnolia. "You don't even know what you are, cat."

 _Know what... I am?_ Puzzled, Happy turned away and noticed Gajeel walking out of an alleyway, covered in thought, he couldn't understand what Charle was trying to say.

* * *

"I finally found you, Charle!" Wendy sounded relieved.

"Wendy..." Charle sighed. "It's pouring. You'll catch a cold if you don't use an umbrella."

"Same goes for you, Charle." Wendy shot back, crouching down in front of the Exceed. "We just entered this guild, Charle. I really think you should try to get along better with everyone."

"No need for that." Charle declared. "As long as you're here, I don't need anyone else."

"Lucy wouldn't like you saying that ya know." Loke smirked, appearing next to Wendy. He had promised his princess that he would keep an eye on the little bluenette while she tried and failed to flirt with her mate.

Wendy puffed up her cheeks in indignation. "See! We have Lucy now! And everyone else, you don't have to keep saying that."

Both girls and Loke turned when they sensed someone approaching. Wendy looked up at the cloaked and masked staff-carrying man apprehensively. "Who are you?"

"Wendy." The man muttered.

"Mystogan?" Loke mumbled.

"Eh?" Wendy frowned. "That voice..."

"To think you'd come to this guild..." The man pulled off the cloth covering his hair and face.

"Jellal?" Wendy sounded confused. "I thought you left for your journey two days ago."

Jellal's eyes widened in shock. "The other me was here? In Fairy Tail? I never saw that coming. Especially with his connections with Lucy's mate."

"Other you?" Charle repeated incredulously. "I know you aren't really Jellal, so why do you look like him? Does he really have a twin brother?"

"I am Fairy Tail's Mystogan." The man announced. "Seven years ago, knowing little of this world, I introduced myself to you as Jellal."

"Eh?"

"T-this world?"

Wendy gasped. "Y-you mean... you're the Jellal from seven years ago? I've been waiting so long... to see you again."

"I'm sorry I couldn't have shown myself to you sooner." Mystogan sighed. "However, this is not the time to be rejoicing... we must leave this town at once."

He grunted, falling to one knee in pain. "I failed my mission... the Anima has grown too big..."

Loke jumped to Mystogan's side, "Mystogan what the hell are you going on about?! Why do we need to leave the town?"

Clouds above them began to swirl.

"I can no longer suppress it with my power..." Mystogan added. "Magnolia will shortly disappear."

"W-what do you mean?" Wendy paled. "I don't understand..."

"Princess!" Loke shouted, unsure whether he should go to the guild and check on her or stay with Wendy.

"It's going to end..." Mystogan grit his teeth. "That has already been decided. At the very least I'd like to save you..."

"What about Fairy Tail?" Wendy shouted. "What about Lucy and the rest of the guild?"

Mystogan sighed. "Unfortunately, they're all going to die."

Wendy and Loke stared at him for a moment, before running off. Or at least one of them did. Wendy was scooped into Loke's arms as he ran to the guild to make sure his master was alright. He knew he could just summon himself there, but Lucy would never forgive him if he left Wendy behind.

"Wait Loke! Where are you taking Wendy?!"

"Back to the guild! We have to tell everyone!" Loke yelled.

"You cannot go!" Mystogan shouted after them. "At the very least, I can take Wendy out of the town with me!"

"Me surviving alone?" Wendy repeated in disbelief. "Not happening. I am a part of Fairy Tail now!"

Loke only pushed faster towards the guild, Mystogan's words causing worry about his master's fate.

* * *

Cana grinned. "There's nothing better than a date with a boyfriend on rainy days like this one." She observed happily, hugging a large barrel of beer.

"Nothing better than a date with your mate!" Lucy bragged, tossing an arm around Erza. The knight rolled her eyes at the blondes' words, but otherwise did nothing else.

"Aww a double date, how sweet." Mira laughed.

"Don't encourage the fool." Erza sighed.

"Huh?" Cana turned to the other woman, who was putting on a jacket. "Where are you off to in this weather, Mira?"

"Just to the church." Mira told her. "Elfman, I'll be off now!"

"If you're real men, you have to get stronger! You think you can protect Levy the way you are now?" Elfman scolded Jet and Droy. "You ended up wasting so much time that Levy had to clean things up by herself! C'mon, you tell them too, Nee-chan. These guys just keep screwing up!"

Mira smiled. "Don't worry, guys, I think you're doing your best!"

"Mira-chan!" Jet and Droy burst into happy tears.

* * *

Gray sighed. "Can't you eat it any better?"

"Sorry..." Juvia muttered, trying to unstick her hands. "This is Juvia's first time eating this..."

"This is how you eat caramel franks." Gray told her, opening his mouth wide and taking a big bite of his sandwich.

"Like this?" Juvia asked thickly, trying to copy him.

"It's not something that's meant to be eaten politely." Gray explained.

"But..." Juvia blushed. "Juvia doesn't think it's a good idea to take her clothes off..."

"Nah Gray's got the right idea." Lucy said shocking the guild at the sight of her half naked. The only thing covering her breast being wraps.

"Dumb demon, stop making a mess everywhere and put a shirt on!" Erza shouted, while blushing a deep red.

"But this food is messy!" Lucy shouted back, not at all ashamed of how she was presenting herself.

Alzack and Bisca watched the scene in shock. Erza was trying to shove a shirt on Lucy while the latter tried shoving her off.

 _How can I get him to be more proactive like that?_

 _Someday, I'll get Bisca to..._

They made eye contact and promptly stiffened.

"You two should just mate already. If Lucifer were here, he'd say you two are being dumb waiting." Lucy said popping up away from Erza, caramel dripping down her face and hands. The two mages turned two each other bright red turning back away.

"Cla-classic Lucy. Am I right?"

"Y... yeah..."

"You two seem to be getting along well." Erza observed, going back to trying to shove a shirt on Lucy and failing. "Treasure those moments. It'll help you avoid regret and lost chances." She advised them.

"You should take your own advice." Gray snorted, watching the hilarious scene before him.

Erza turned her head to Gray glaring, who quickly went back to eating his food alongside Juvia. "What was that Gray?"

Before he could answer Lucy was tossing her sticky body atop Erza whining.

"I'm bored babe..." Lucy whined. "let's go mate to pass the time."

"For the last time, no." Erza sighed, trying to adjust how the hot mage was lying atop her. "And clean yourself up, you're all sticky!"

"Ion wanna get up mate." Lucy whined.

"For mavis sake." Erza sighed, requipping a rag she began the tedious task of washing Lucy's face free of caramel. She then continued to her arms and toned stomach and-

"Mate…I'm clean now." Lucy said, confused to why Erza had been rubbing the wet rag on her stomach for the past five minutes.

Erza jumped back once she zoned back in, face dark red. "Err, yes apologies. Um, stay clean now!"

* * *

Loke pushed himself to his limits, his grasp on Wendy tightening so as not to drop the smaller girl. They were near the guild hall now, both breathing a sigh of relief when they saw the building was still intact, however Loke refused to slow down and continued to sprint to the hall doors. Both mages eyes widened when at closer glance they noticed the clouds above them forming a vortex above the city.

"Shit! Wendy stay here!" Loke yelled, before disappearing. He could wait no longer on warning his master of what was to come. However, little did he know his arrival time would be too late.

* * *

Wendy continued to run from where Loke left her, in hopes of reaching her friends.

"Everyone!" She cried out as she approached the guild building's gate. "We're in big trouble! The sky-"

She froze in shock when the guild hall and the surrounding buildings warped and dissipated into light, vanishing right before her eyes.

"W-what is this?" She screamed. "Everyone!"

* * *

Loke appeared right before his master ready to alert her of the impending danger before he was suddenly whisked away back to the spirit world.

"Princess!"

Lucy turned to where she heard her name being called before she as well as the rest of the guild disappeared into thin air.

* * *

The light cleared and the vortex faded, revealing Wendy surrounded by a flat, barren landscape.

"N-no way..." She looked around in fear. "I-it's all gone. The guild, the town... everything." She glanced at the shimmering ground in disbelief. "What happened?" She shouted out. "Is anyone here?"

"Someone, anyone... Lucy!" She fell to the ground and burst into tears. "The town and the guild, everything disappeared... why am I the only one left behind again?"

Natsu burst out of the soil nearby. "W-what the... what happened?"

"Natsu!" Wendy ran over to him.

"Wendy..." Natsu looked around. "Where are we?"

 _I'm not the only one left. But where's Lucy?_ Wendy trembled. "You don't remember anything?"

"Well, I was asleep..." The boy mused.

"We... this is... where the guild was." Wendy choked out.

"What?"

"A hole in the sky opened and swallowed up everyone, including the town and the guild." Wendy sobbed. "We're the only ones left."

Natsu frowned and examined her closely. "Did you hit your head somewhere, Wendy?"

"I'm serious!" Wendy protested, before realizing something. "Wait... could it be that only Dragon Slayers were left behind?"

"Then where's Luce?! She's a slayer too, even if she's not a dragon one." Natsu asked.

"I... I don't know?" Wendy stuttered, on the verge of tears at not seeing her best friend.

"I'm surprised the dense fool didn't survive." Charle cut in, hovering about a meter off the ground.

"Charle!" Wendy smiled. "You're all right!"

"I suppose." The Exceed mused. "It seems the inherent magic of Dragon Slayers helped you two out. But that doesn't explain why Lucy isn't hear, nor Gajeel."

"That's unforgivable! What about the others... wait..." Natsu's jaw dropped? "You mean they really did disappear?"

"They did." Charle nodded. "To be accurate, they were swallowed up and erased by the Anima."

"Anima?" Wendy whispered, confused.

"That hole in the sky was the gate to the world on the other side, Edolas." Charle clarified.

"What are you going on about?" Natsu roared. "Where is everyone?"

"Natsu!" Wendy held him back. "Do you know something about this, Charle?"

"Natsu!" Happy interrupted, flying up to them. "What is this? Where's the town?"

"I came from Edolas, the world on the other side." Charle revealed to them. "So did the he-cat."

"W-what do you mean?" Wendy stammered.

"He and I..." Charle sighed and lowered her head. "Are the reason this town disappeared."

"Edolas is a world separate from this one." She explained. "Right now, it's starting to lose its' magic."

Wendy frowned. "Losing its' magic?"

"Unlike in this world, in Edolas, magic is limited." Charle told them. "If it keeps being used, the world itself will someday disappear. In order to save the limited magic supply, the king of Edolas developed a spell to absorb magic from another world, namely this one." Charle pointed up. "That spell is the hyper-dimensional space magic, Anima. It's that hole that just appeared in the sky."

"This plan, which started six years ago, involved opening Anima in various places around the world. However, it didn't yield the results they were hoping for." Charle continued. "Someone with knowledge of this went around closing the Anima from this side."

"However, the Anima this time was simply too large." Charle sighed. "Without any sort of defense, Fairy Tail was swallowed easily."

"Why did they absorb Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked angrily.

"I already told you, didn't I?" Charle glanced at him in exasperation. "To provide Edolas with more magic."

"There are tons of powerful mages in Fairy Tail!" Wendy shouted in realization. "Is that why they targeted us?"

Charle nodded. "Exactly."

"How selfish can you bastards be?" Natsu shook his fist at the Anima. "Give everyone back, dammit!"

"And..." Happy looked confused. "That's mine and Charles's fault?"

"In a way." Charle told him. "We received a different mission from the kingdom of Edolas and were sent to this world..."

"That can't be!" Wendy protested. "You were born from an egg! In this world, not there!"

"Happy was too!" Natsu added. "I found him myself!"

"I've never been to Edolas. Like Wendy said, I was born and raised in this world." Charle sighed. "However, the knowledge about Edolas and our mission was placed in our brains. We should have both been aware of everything from the moment we were born!" Charle pointed at Happy furiously. "And yet, how can you somehow know nothing?"

"Uh..."

Charle spun away from his in disgust. "Anyway, that's how things are. Since we're beings from Edolas, this situation is our fault."

"Didn't you mention something about a different mission, Charle?" Wendy recalled.

"I can't say what it is." Charle announced.

"Tell me, Charle." Happy pleaded. "I want to know what I am."

"I just said I can't tell you anything about that!" Charle shouted at him. "Remember your place!"

"Alright, Alright. Look, now that we've talked about this, what say we head out to this Edolas place already?" Natsu grinned in anticipation. "Everyone's over there, right? Then we've gotta go save them."

"I guess." Charle crossed her arms. "I think they're there, but I don't know if they can be saved, or if we'll even be able to come back here."

Natsu had a counter for that. "If Lucy and the rest of my friends aren't here, then there's nothing tying me to this place, is there?"

"Yeah, I don't want to be where Lucy isn't!" Wendy nodded.

Happy teared up. "We can save everyone, right?"

"I'm also technically a member of Fairy Tail..." Charle sighed. "I'll feel guilty knowing this happened because of my homeland. Besides, it's not like I can't take you there..." She looked them over thoughtfully. "Fine. But let's lay down some rules before we go.

Natsu saluted. "Gotcha."

Wendy nodded. "Understood."

After explaining what was to be done and how things were to be followed the exceeds and dragon slayers were on their way.

"Alright then, Let's go." Charle commanded, sprouting wings and grabbing Wendy. "He-cat, grab Natsu and hold on tightly!"

"Are we gonna fly?"

"Our wings are meant to let us return to Edolas." Charle explained.

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu grinned. "This is your homeland!"

"We're going to enter Edolas through the Anima!" Charle shouted. "Our wings will help us break through!"

* * *

"Khaaah!" Erza gasped, bursting out of Horologium with Lucy following her. "What just happened?!"

"Yo Horologium, why'd you pack me and ma mate in ya? Oh, did you want to help speed up our mating process so you were trying to get us in the same place so we would-

"I felt a disturbance in the balance of space-time." The clock explained, cutting off his dense but adorable master. "I decided that shielding you two from it was the best course of action. It helped that you were already holding onto Miss Scarlet."

"Oh…disturbance?" Lucy asked.

Erza looked around, immediately gasping at the sight before her. "What in the Earthland happened to the guild?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes and rubbed her chin. "I wonder if-."

"Don't speak if you wanna keep courting me dumb demon."

"Roger!" A shirtless Lucy said smiling.

Within seconds a bright light appeared before Lucy hugging the mage tightly. "Princess!" Loke cried. "I-I thought I lost you."

"Loke…you know it'll take more than a weird dimensional thingy to take me out." Lucy said sincerely.

"I know, I know but still I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you princess." He whispered, then looking at her state, gave her his jacket to put on underneath her cloak. Erza all the while watched on in silence. Slightly shocked at how much Lucy's spirits cared for her.

"Lucy. Erza, allow me to explain what has happened." Mystogan walked up to them and pointed up. "Magnolia and Fairy Tail have been absorbed by the Anima you see above us."

"Yo! Mystogan where'd you come from?" Lucy said oblivious to the matter at hand.

Erza scowled. "That swirling vortex is the Anima?"

"I don't see an animal?" Lucy said confused, trying to see in the sky what animal the two were talking about.

"No Lucy, anima." Mystogan explained. "On the other side of that is my home world and the place responsible for this mess, the world of Edolas."

Lucy's eyes lit up. "No shit!?"

"Err, yes...shit." Mystogan sighed, handing both girls a medicine-like pill. "Eat those. They will allow you to use magic freely there. You would be helpless otherwise."

Lucy grabbed the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. Erza seeing that nothing was happening to the blonde did the same.

"And now, I'll send you through the Anima to Edolas." Mystogan reached for a staff and the two girls began to hover and glow slightly. "Expect a few fellow members to help you out over there."

"You got it man." Lucy smiled toothily to him. "You can count on me and my mate."

"Not your, oh whatever." Erza sighed. "What the dumb demon said."

"I know." Mystogan smiled. "If anyone can do this, it's the Ishgar Demon."

"I'll meet you over there, princess." Loke said smiling, vanishing back to the spirit world, happy to relay to the other spirits their master was alright.

The Anima closed a few minutes after they shot through. Unnoticed by them a fellow metal eating dragon slayer had barely made it through the hole just behind them, courtesy of Mystogan.

* * *

 **Authors note: Look at that another update so soon. Hopefully you guys like this. Alot of people wanted a gildarts vs Lucy fight and I hope I satisfied them. Next chapter won't be up for awhile bc I need to work on Power: Origin story. However please remember to like comment and follow. Thanks everyone.**


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